Moments We Share
by RockyRoadSmith
Summary: A collection of one-shots dealing with Genki and Holly's relationship from A-Z starting from the end of season 3 and spanning beyond. Current chapter: Z is for Zen.
1. A: Anxiety

This story was thought up during a hurricane and I decided to go through with it. This will follow Genki and Holly's relationship through the alphabet starting right after the last episode of season three. What makes this different from stories like Delusions of the Heart, though, is that this takes into the thought that Genki DOESN'T return to his world and the length of these chapters will be rather short (I'm hoping to keep them between 1,000 to 3,000 words at most). Also, this story won't be following a plot. It just focuses on random moments in their relationship as they grow up. I hope everyone enjoys this and let's see how far I'll get with this story before I get bored! XD

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**A: Anxiety**

A small fire crackled and sizzled in the middle of a smooth clearing that was littered with traveling supplies and tired heroes. The gentle feel of a calm breeze was a welcomed sensation and with every small gust of wind that came their way, the group of travelers would only sigh in relief. How long had it been now that Moo had haunted the world? How long had it been that people feared for their lives? No one could truly remember how long it had been since there had been peace instead of war, but no one really cared. All that mattered was that Moo's reign of terror was finally over.

"…and then Suezo walked right into the door like a complete idiot! Ha ha ha!"

"Watch it, pal! You're the one who pushed me forward like that!"

"I did not! I only gave you a friendly pat on the back."

"You're a liar, bunny!"

A small chuckle exited Tiger's mouth as he watched Suezo and Hare begin to bicker just like he normally did. For once, though, the wolf monster was just happy watching the group instead of jumping in like usual. With a keen eye, Tiger's gaze shifted from the two arguing monsters to the rest of the group who were watching the fight with amused expressions. Golem stirred a large pot of stew while occasionally glancing at his comrades with a wryly smile. Since he had been under Holly's cooking guidance, his food had become quite tasty and he often volunteered to cook in Holly's place. Mocchi was also at Golem's side as his official "taste tester" and from the looks of it, Golem's food had Mocchi's full approval for the night. Yosho, Holly's father, looked worn out and tired, but he held his head up with pride. The man who was once Moo found himself welcomed to travel with the group, but Tiger sensed the man knew he wasn't trusted by any of the rebels except his daughter. Yosho was a kind man, but Tiger could see he held a stern and unpredictable side to him. Part of the wolf monster couldn't help but feel sympathy for him, but he would never let that show. A small feminine laugh broke Tiger out of his thoughts before he turned to see Holly sitting next to Genki with her hand up to her mouth as she chuckled softly.

Out of the group, Holly and Genki were by far the most interesting to watch. Unlike any other interacting done within the rebels, the two young humans tended to break off from the social circle and have banters between only each other. They were always ready to listen to what the other had to say and no matter how irrelevant or random what they said was, the other would always listen inventively. Holly's eyes would dance with amusement as Genki told her about stupid stunts he had done as a child and Genki couldn't help but release a laugh whenever Holly told him about times in her village when she was a little more rebellious. Lately, however, Tiger noticed the duo had become even closer and had become a little bolder with their feelings. Wherever Holly was, Genki was at her side and whatever Genki was doing, Holly was right there ready to do the same.

"Golem thinks… we need more… firewood so… the stew can… be finished…" The rock giant spoke softly as he glanced slowly to his comrades. "We need… it quick… or the stew… will cool down… and it… will be ruined!"

"I got it last night, so I'll pass." Hare spoke with a shrug before he went back to arguing with Suezo who had, as usual, gotten extremely defensive.

"Don't worry; I'll get it." Holly volunteered with one of her trademark white smiles as she rose to her feet before brushing the back of her pants off.

"I'll come, too!" Genki quickly piped up as he bolted to Holly's side faster than Hare to a sack of gold coins.

"Are you sure? I can do it alone if you don't want to." The young girl replied with a shrug, for she didn't want to be a bother.

"It's no problem at all. Come on; let's get the best firewood out there!" Genki announced with a grin as he took Holly's hand in his own before speeding off into the dense woods; leaving a group of slightly confused rebels in their wake.

The woods were dark and quiet, causing a lump to rise in Holly's throat. Something about Moo's demise still didn't sit well with the young girl and, even though she knew the beast was gone there was something almost haunting about the darkened area. Her fears were washed away, though, as she realized Genki was still holding her hand and she could feel the heat emitting from him. Still, she knew she wasn't there to fawn over the young boy and the firewood still needed to be found. As she went to break her hold on Genki's hand, though, she found that his grip wouldn't allow her to do so and she couldn't help but feel a wave of confusion wash over her.

"Genki? Um… we need to get firewood." Holly spoke up quietly, but she was more surprised when Genki still didn't let her hand go.

"Holly… Do you… uh… never mind. What do you plan to do now that Moo is gone?" Genki said nervously as he kept his gaze on the brunette in front of him.

"I plan to go back to Toriyama to try and rebuild a life there. I'm going to get a house with my father and Suezo. I think the whole group is coming back to live there. Hare mentioned he was going to have a huge house built in the middle of the town for him, Golem, and even Tiger to live." Holly replied, but she couldn't help but feel that wasn't what Genki had intended to ask her.

"Would it be okay if… I lived there too? I mean, with Hare and the others of course. I don't mean live _with _you. I mean, in Toriyama, you know?" The young boy asked nervously as the words seemed to tangle in him mouth before they came out.

"Of course, Genki. I was hoping you and Mocchi would stay in Toriyama, too." The wielder of the Magic Stone spoke with a giggle, though she couldn't understand what was so nerve-racking that Genki would have such anxiety. "Genki, what's going on? Is everything okay?"

"Um, Holly? Do you… uh… like… _guys_?" Genki asked suddenly as his face flushed slightly at both the question and how pathetic he sounded. It was a rare time when he and Holly were alone, though now he felt he was completely blowing his one chance since time was not on his side.

"… are you asking me if I'm _straight_?"

"I didn't mean it in a bad way! I was just, ya know, wondering…?"

"Well, yes, I do like guys." Holly replied with an uncertain look for she had no idea where this awkward conversation was going or where it had even come from in the first place. How they went from gathering firewood to her sexuality was beyond her, but she realized a long time that trying to understand everything that went on in the minds of the rebels was an impossible task.

"Have you ever… uh… liked someone? Ya know, as more than a friend?"

"Y-yes, I have. Why?"

"Do you… do you think you could ever like someone like… well… _me_…?

Holly could almost feel her heart tearing out from her chest at how hard it was pounding from Genki's extremely sudden question. The brunette could only stare at Genki in absolute shock while she watched him squirm uncomfortably from her piercing gaze. Part of her felt like pinching herself and when she would wake up, she would laugh at how stupid she had been for even believing a moment like that could ever happen to her. And yet, even after pinching her arm, she was still in the woods staring wide-eyed at a young boy who had spilled his most guarded secret with her. In her mind, she had seen this playing out differently. She had seen an older Genki rescuing her from a pack of evil monsters before swooping her downwards and stealing a passionate kiss from her lips. Instead, there was a young boy in dirty clothes who looked almost as frightened as she was as he still held her hand tightly. Somehow, though, Holly found her heart yearning more for this moment than the one her mind had fantasized.

"Genki, are… you asking me out?" Holly was able to choke out from the emotional overload that had burst in her brain and fogged her senses. She couldn't remember how long she had been harboring secret feelings for her comrade, but now everything seemed to slam into place so fast that she wasn't sure what was happening or what to do.

"Uh, well… I was thinking… maybe, uh… yes?" Genki's words came out jumbled and disorganized, but even the anxiety he felt didn't make him leave out his definite 'yes' to the girl's question. He had taken down countless monsters and had saved the world twice. For odd reason, though, asking Holly out was so much harder and it made it rather frustrating when his normally confidant words came out as timid gargling. Before he could curse at himself for sounding so insecure, Holly's hand squeezed his own before her voice broke the silence like a beautiful chime.

"Yes."

That one, tiny word left both teens speechless as they kept eye contact and tried hard not to let their weak knees fail them. They were young and inexperienced, but both could tell Genki's question and Holly's answer would change their lives forever. Something about it didn't scare them, though, and the anxiety they once felt was no longer there as the two laughed softly at how silly they must have looked before Genki tugged at her hand softly.

"You mean it? Really?" Genki asked with a childish grin as he felt Holly's hand tighten around his own and the very feeling made his heart flutter. It was an odd thought that Holly, the first person he had met in the world of the monsters, would also be his first girlfriend. He had no experience, and for now just holding hands was plenty fine by him.

"I wouldn't lie about something like this, Genki. I mean, are you sure you'd want someone like me?"

"Why wouldn't I? I was more worried you wouldn't want someone like me!"

The young humans laughed quietly together as things seemed to fall into place. They were both shy and unsure about relationships, but it was one journey both were more than happy to make together. Hidden emotions held back for so long felt oddly nice to have out in the open now, though both knew it would be a slow and gradual relationship. Somehow, though, the thought of being a couple seemed plain natural after all they had been through. If anything, it was as if they were only making it official and as if they had been together the whole time. They had been through so much together already, why not continue down the same road?

"So… now what? We go back to camp?"

"Actually, we still haven't gotten the firewood yet." Holly replied with a chuckle at remembering why they were out in the woods to begin with, but suddenly her eyes widened along with Genki's as they realized their original task. "Oh no! The firewood! Golem's stew!"

Back at camp, the rest of the rebels watched with sweat marks on their heads as Golem cried pathetically over his ruined stew that was now cold and unappealing. As soon as the two humans arrived back at camp they were barraged with complaints about taking too long to get the firewood, but Tiger watched from afar with a knowing smile on his face. _'It's about time, kid. You're new journey into life starts now.'_

* * *

><p>Okay, first letter done! Just your average Genki asking Holly out, although unlike most there was no kiss since I felt both would be way too nervous and would have way too much anxiety to kiss so suddenly. So, yeah! Quick chapters for a quick read! Thanks so much for reading and I hope I actually finish this. This story won't be updated unless I get a new chapter of DotH out first. Thanks again!<p>

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	2. B: Bitter

Okay, next chapter! Sorry for the delay on this. I wrote this during a quick break I had between my Biology classes since in my free time I've been working on the next chapter of DotH and I already had this written in a notebook I wrote during the hurricane along with the next chapter, too. Expect letter C soon! This is kind of a fun stress relieving story to write, actually. It kind of surprised me. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this! ^_^

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**B: Bitter**

A large two story home with a giant attached barn on the side stood tall in the middle of Toriyama. It was only a few months old and it was still the talk of the town since it was well known that most of the heroes that defeated Moo resided there now. Hare's plan had been a success and, in the end, he had a wondrous home build for any of his comrades who wanted to stay in the town. Golem was the first to move in and was quick to start up his own small diner. Tiger was reluctantly next to move into Hare's home, though the other rebels had a feeling it was more of an act. The wolf monster seemed to have no trouble living in the same perimeter as the rabbit monster and he was often seen around town keeping the peace and breaking up fights. Next came Genki and Mocchi who were, of course, more than happy with the living arrangement. Most days the boy and his young monster would run errands for his friends who would, in turn, give him a few spare coins for his troubles as a small token of their appreciation. It wasn't much, but it was really all Genki needed. It was true that his room and board were free and that he had no expenses, making life less stressful. He saved his money for one small purpose now; to treat Holly.

Their relationship was a very slow paced one, for even now they had yet to even kiss. Still, the duo had more than enough fun just walking around town and holding hands. When they had told their companions about their new found relationship, it seemed no one was surprised. A few "congratulations" and "way to go" were thrown around by the group until they went to Suezo to hear his reaction. At first, he seemed dead set against the whole arrangement, but the eyeball monster was fast to shake it off before giving the two his regards. There was one person the couple had been hiding their relationship from, however; Yosho. Holly and her father had a rough relationship since he had been freed from Moo because of the long years the two had been separated. The two humans, along with Suezo, bought a house on the outskirts of town where less people would be tempted to probe Yosho for answers about once being Moo. The young girl couldn't help but be scared of her father's reaction to finding out the truth of her feelings for Genki, but after months of thinking it over Holly found herself preparing two cups of tea as she waited for her father to join her on their house's porch.

'_Don't worry, Holly. Don't get so worked up! Father will understand.' _Holly thought nervously to herself as she placed the tray holding the tea on a small table outside on the porch before taking a seat on a wooden chair. Another wooden chair was seated across from her, but for the moment Holly was a bit relieved it was still empty. _'Relax… It's not like I'm doing anything wrong. I just need to tell him the truth that I'm dating Genki and then it'll all be water under the bridge.'_

As Holly sat deep in thought and worries, the door leading to the porch swung open and Yosho marched out before sitting roughly down on the other chair across from his daughter. His eyes were sunken in from years of being Moo's host while his body looked much frailer than Holly remembered him being when she was little. His personality, however, was still the same. He was still loving and brave, but he still had extremely high expectations of his daughter and still had a streak of power hunger in him. For him, it was his way or the highway and Holly feared his stubbornness would hinder their already shaky relationship.

"Thank you for the tea, Holly." Yosho spoke up as he took one of the steaming cups before taking a steady sip of the warm liquid. "Ah, you still make the best tea in the world."

"Thank you, father. I learned from the best." Holly replied with a blush at the compliment as she held her tea cup firmly in her hands. Her nervousness made her arms shiver slightly, though, and the girl could see the ripples forming in her tea from her shaky nerves.

"So, Holly, what's this all about? It's not like you to call a family meeting." The older man asked with curiosity as his worn eyes kept a steady watch on the brunette sitting in front of him.

"Father… I know this may seem sudden, but if you travelled around with my group as long as I have you'd understand how much we've been through and how much some of our feelings have… well… strengthened." Holly said quickly while she did her best to keep eye contact even though her nerves were failing her.

"I see… You've developed feelings for one of your comrades?"

"Y-yes…"

"I think I know who."

"Y-you do? R-really?" Holly asked in shock.

"Well, yes. I do, but I don't think it would work out."

"…why not?" Holly's timid voice asked as a hint of desperation shone through her words. The young girl could feel her heart throbbing as she watched her father's gaze fixating on her and she felt her lungs constricting from nervousness.

"Holly, relationships with monsters are very difficult and don't tend to work. Hare may be a very smooth and smart monster, but I don't know if he's the kind of guy for you." Yosho replied with a small shrug before he took another long sip of tea.

"You think I meant…_Hare_? Father, no! I don't like Hare like that! Honest! I'm talking about Genki!" The wielder of the Magic Stone blurted out while her face flushed red at her father's implications. Had the situation not been so serious she most likely would have face palmed.

"Genki? You… you have feelings for that boy?"

"Yes! And he feels the same way about me, too." Holly said with a smile as her cheeks flushed a little at the thought of her knight in shining armor. At telling her father this, suddenly she felt as though a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders and she felt the chains that bound her and Genki's relationship lift. Maybe now that it was out in the open, she'd have enough courage to kiss the boy. Before she could speak up again, though, her father shot her a look she hadn't seen in years as his lips parted and his gruff voice penetrated her ears.

"You can't be with that boy."

Suddenly, the weight that had been lifted off of Holly's shoulders only seconds before came crashing back down on her, but now it was ten times heavier. In her mind, she had seen her father bringing her in for a hug and telling her how proud he was of her growing up and becoming a mature young woman. Instead, she was left gawking at the man as his bitter answer replayed in her head like a broken record. Tears stung the sides of her eyes, but she kept strong and wouldn't let her front crumble.

"But, why? He's perfect, father! He's sweet, polite, and fun to be around! He's saved my life countless times and he saved yours, too! He always protects me and he makes me happy! Why won't you let me be with him?" Holly asked with a frantic look in her eyes. She had been nervous to face her father earlier not because she thought he wouldn't approve; she was scared that he'd try and scare Genki away like many overprotective fathers do. To turn her down point blank was not what she was expecting.

"I'm not saying he's not a nice boy, Holly. He has done great things and I'm forever in his debt. He is, however, only a young boy. He's but a child, Holly. You're a few years older than him and he probably doesn't know what he's getting into. You're not ready for a relationship, anyways." Yosho spoke with a small amount of harshness in his tone.

"I'm sixteen, father! And Genki may seem like a young kid, but he's actually quite mature for his age and he told me in his world they learn about relationships at a far younger age. If he wasn't ready I wouldn't push him. Besides, I'm not saying we're going to up and marry! We're just going to hang out more and eat dinner together. We wouldn't do anything that goes beyond kissing." The young girl tried to reason without letting the fear she held slip out.

"That boy isn't in a financial position to be having a girlfriend, either. How would you two live without having money? You think me or your friends will want to keep giving you hand outs? Plus that boy doesn't come from this world and it makes it unnatural! What will the rest of the village say when they see you holding hands with him? You'll dirty the family name, Holly! Is that what you want?" The older man growled irritably as his hands clenched into fists and his eyes seemed to darken considerably.

"I don't need money to hang out with him! And why does everything come back to the family image with you? What about my happiness? Our family image was destroyed years ago anyways! Why does it matter? When people hear the last name 'Mercris' they think Moo and that's how they'll always think from now on. You only care about your self image!" Holly shouted as she got to her feet and huffed in aggravation. She normally didn't get angry at anyone, especially her father, but something about the situation involving Genki made her temper flare at the injustice.

"A relationship between you and that boy would never last! There are plenty of guys in the town who are far better suited for you and besides, you grew up in an unusual situation where you didn't have a mother to teach you about the right way to go about being in a relationship. You're not ready and niether is he!"

"I don't want some other guy! I want to be with Genki and that's it! And maybe I would have had more instruction growing up if you hadn't turned your back on me and became Moo!"

_WHACK!_

Holly felt her last sentence slip out of her mouth before she could even think, and the next thing she knew a loud sound echoed in her skull and her entire body reared backwards before she could catch herself. When her back hit the ground, she could feel the breath drain from her lungs and for the strange sense of numbness to sweep over her body. For a brief second everything seemed to spin and all she could see was a distorted shadow and her spilt tea cup on the ground next to her face. It took a moment for the stars to disappear from her vision, but then she instinctively brought her hand up to her stinging cheek before she placed her finger on her lip where she could taste bitter metallic. With a low grunt, Holly shakily rose to her feet before glaring daggers at the man who had hit her. His eyes shown with horror at what had just happened, but for the first time in Holly's life she regretted unlocking him from Moo's Mystery Disk.

"Holly, are you alright? Are you-" Yosho started, but a sharp glare from Holly stopped his train of speech.

"I'm dating Genki." Holly spat angrily.

"You can't, Holly! You-"

"I _can_."

With one last glance to her father, Holly climbed off the porch before running toward town as fast as her wobbly legs could take her. Even with her father's shouts ringing in her ears, she didn't care. For once, Holly Mercris just didn't care. Her head hurt, all she could taste was her own blood, and she was so blinded by tears she could barley see where she was going. She couldn't tell at first, but the girl knew her tears weren't ones of sadness; they were ones of anger. She was angry at her father for not giving Genki a chance, she was angry at him for hitting her, and she was mad at herself for running away so blindly. By the time she reached her destination her hair was a mess and her legs felt as though she had been hit with a crowbar. Wiping away her tears of bitterness, the young girl knocked on large wooden doors tiredly that lead into a large house that had only been built a few months ago that belonged to Hare. She knew she couldn't stay there forever and she couldn't hide away from her troubles, but it was still a sanctuary where she would be surrounded by her closest friends and the boy who stole her heart. Right now, she wasn't ready to face her father again, but when the door opened and she was greeted by a boy with an orange hat bringing her into a tight embrace, she knew she was fighting for the right cause.

* * *

><p>Kind of a dramatic one-shot. XD I've always read stories where Holly's father accepts Holly and Genki's relationship, so I decided to do the opposite and have it that he's against it. I always felt that Yosho would have high expectations for Holly because of his power hungry nature, and it would be even worse after he was Moo. Even in the few episodes where you see him interacting with Holly, I got a sense that he had a temper that could be easily flared. And because of the distance between the two I felt that Holly would also lose her cool a little quicker with her father since he hasn't been in her life for so long and suddenly he tries to control her life. So, yeah. In this story Holly and Yosho's relationship will be very strained especially as they get older. Thanks for reading and have a great day! ^_^<p>

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	3. C: Cardinal

The last chapter was kind of dramatic, but from this point in it will be more of random moments in Holly and Genki's relationship as it develops. There will still be a few chapters that are rather dramatic, but there will be more sweet moments.

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**C: Cardinal**

The air outside was chilly and crisp as a lone figure climbed out a window from a second story house before landing gracefully on the ground below and taking off into the dark night. Several crickets chirped with anticipation as the figure cloaked in black garb ran toward the town ahead that was lit up with lanterns and candles. The sight was always one that was comforting, but nothing was as mind easing as seeing the large building in the middle of town that housed most of the heroes who took down Moo. With a nervous shuffle of their feet, the person gently knocked on the large doors before taking a step back to wait for an answer. Luckily, someone was fast to answer their calling and the door flew open to reveal Genki who looked rather surprised at the late night visitor.

"Holly? What are you doing here? It's the middle of the night!" Genki asked with a confused frown as he surveyed the young girl in front of him. Holly was wearing her old black cloak she had worn during their journey when the weather became extremely cold. When she pulled the hood of the cloak down, Genki could see the bags under her eyes from where sleep had once again evaded the brunette.

"I'm sorry, Genki. I just… I couldn't sleep." Holly replied with a sullen sigh while she held the end of her cloak tightly in her pale hands while her gaze stayed glued to the ground as if she was ashamed of herself.

"Well, come inside or you'll freeze!" The boy quickly ushered Holly in before closing the door behind him and leading her to the couch in the living room. Their relationship was, as most could all it, a forbidden one that left both teenagers emotionally drained. Holly's father was still against the arrangement, but for once in her life Holly wasn't backing down. Most times the girl would wait until her father was asleep or had gone out to slip out her bedroom window and her feet would always lead her back to the home where her boyfriend resided in. Even Suezo would stick up for two when he had the chance, though Yosho wouldn't listen to the eyeball monster. Because of this, sneaking out was the only thing Holly could do to see Genki. They had been doing this routine now for months, but it never got easier and whenever Holly got caught, it was hell to pay. It was even worse when Yosho would catch her when his breath reeked of stale alcohol, but the young girl wouldn't give in.

"Genki, I shouldn't have come here. I'm sorry. I just… wanted to see you even if it was just for a moment." The wielder of the Magic Stone confessed with a sigh as her cheeks flushed a little red for a second before she stood up to leave, but Genki was quick to grab her wrist.

"Don't go, Holly! I don't mind, really! You know I wouldn't miss seeing you for the world!" Genki exclaimed with a worried look to the brunette, for he knew things at her home weren't quite as she had imagined they would be when they first unlocked her father. With a comforting smile from Genki and a sudden need to be there, Holly slowly sank back down into the couch with a timid expression on her face.

"Thank you." Holly whispered and, before Genki could react, the young girl scooted closer to him before laying her head on his shoulder. The act was simple, but neither of the two had yet had enough courage to do anything beyond hold hands with the constant fear of Yosho walking in on them. Genki could feel the heat radiating off Holly's fragile form and with a sudden burst of courage, the boy hesitantly wrapped his arm around the girl's waist. Although a little shocked, Genki could sense he had done something right when Holly released a quiet sigh of joy before she wrapped her arms around his chest.

"…how are you feeling?" Genki asked quietly as he kept his gaze on Holly's elegant and now peaceful face.

"Much better now." Holly replied with an impish giggle and her smile would widened each time she would see Genki hesitantly go to stroke her hair, but his courage would fail him at the last minute. With a small giggle, the brunette buried her face against the boy's chest like a playful kitten as the feeling of security and warmth filled her senses. "I wish we could always be like this…"

"We'll get our chance someday just as soon as we can prove ourselves to your father." Genki stated with a sad smile, for deep down he had a gut feeling that day would never come. "I don't mind, though. As long as I get the honor to even see you, I'm happy."

"Oh, Genki, that's so sweet!" Holly smiled giddily at the boy's statement and suddenly the situation didn't seem quite as bad. The romantic side to Genki was there, but sometimes it was hard for the boy to express it especially since his girlfriend's father was against it. "Yeah, I'm just happy being able to be with you like this. I like being so close to you, you know? I always feel safe with you."

"Really?"

"Of course."

Something about that statement made Genki's pride swell and for his courage to go up a peak. A calm silence fell between the two as they remained nestled in each other's arms until Holly shifted slightly and a small sigh left her lips. After a moment, Genki couldn't help but look down at the girl in his arms and a sudden wave of concern washed over him as he noticed the now nervous look on Holly's face. "Holly? Are you alright? Is something wrong?"

"…you're so sweet, Genki. Right away you always ask me if I'm alright." Holly chuckled softly at the boy's concern. "I'm alright Genki, really. I was just thinking that I should leave soon before my father realizes I'm gone. If he found out, well, you know what would happen."

"I guess. I wish you could stay longer, though." Genki said and, from the sound of it, he spoke with a bit of plea in his voice. With a reluctant sigh, Genki let his hold on Holly loosen enough for the girl to get up from their comfortable embrace before he stood up to walk her to the door just like every other time they were in this situation. With a saddened expression, Genki pulled Holly into a tight hug; one that Holly was quick to return with just as much emotion.

"We'll see each other again soon, Genki. I just know it." Holly mumbled quietly as she buried her face in the nape of Genki's neck. Her warm breath caused pleasurable chills to go down the boy's spine and it took all of his willpower not to force her to stay in the embrace.

"I know. I just hate seeing you go like this." The boy replied with a sigh as he opened the door politely to go with their regular routine. Something was different this time, though, and Genki could feel the pit in his stomach tighten as he watched Holly walk out of the house, but not before turning around one last time.

"Good night, Genki, and sweet dreams." Holly whispered with a sad smile. Before she could turn to leave, though, Genki did something he wasn't quite expecting himself to do. Normally, he'd watch her silhouette disappear down the gravel road before solemnly going back to bed while dreading their departure the whole time.

This time, however, his nerves took over and he quickly ran in front of her before leaning up to catch her lips against his own. Even now with puberty hitting hard on the two teenagers, Genki was still an inch or so shorter than Holly, but that didn't seem to matter as Holly's shocked eyes slowly closed before she pressed against the boy a little firmer. The kiss was a tad awkward, and neither of the two knew what to do or when exactly to break it off. The warmth from each other's breath was captivating and the silence of the atmosphere made the moment even more serene. After a minute of standing out in the cold with their lips locked in a simple yet loving kiss, the couple slowly took a step backwards before staring at the other with gaping mouths and wide-eyes.

"…wow…" Genki whispered numbly as he kept his gaze focused on the girl in front of him whose face was almost as red as Falcon.

"Did… did we just _kiss_…?" Holly asked nervously as she played with the hem of her cloak with anxiety.

"I think so."

"…was I good?"

"Yeah! Was I?"

"I thought so!"

The two teenagers looked at one another bashfully while trying their best to stay calm and act as if the kiss wasn't such a landmark. Still, it was a difficult task and Genki couldn't take any more of the emotional strain. With a loving smile, Genki gave Holly's hand a gentle squeeze before he went back inside the house to avoid any more awkwardness.

"So, uh, have a safe trip back, okay? And you have sweet dreams, too." Genki said with a smile before shutting the door quietly behind him. With a sigh of relief, the boy slowly slid down against the door before looking down at his hands with surprise. _'I actually did it! I kissed Holly!'_

As Genki was thinking joyfully to himself, he didn't know Holly was still outside with a shocked, yet extremely happy look on her face. When Genki slowly got up to head back to bed, he felt his smile spread into a grin as he heard the faint, but easily audible sound of Holly's cheer; one in which he was positive she didn't think he could hear.

"_**Yes!**_"

* * *

><p>So, yeah, this one is kind of short, but sweet! In this, the term cardinal isn't the bird; it's another word for 'first'. So they finally got around to having their first of many kisses to come. I'm in a fluff craze! XD The next chapter will also be a happier one. Thank you for reading and reviewing! You guys are awesome! ^_^<p>

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	4. D: Date

More fluff time! Remember, time moves rather fast in this story so their ages are always going up a bit. Like in this chapter, it's already been a year that they've been dating now. Just a heads up, is all. ^_^ Also thanks so much for all the support! Your reviews are what keep me writing! I hope this chapter is to your satisfaction!

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**D: Date**

"_I'm happy the rain stopped so we could finally take a walk!"_

"_Me, too! It was getting kind of cramped being stuck indoors for so long."_

_Spring was a time of wonder and beauty as new flower buds began to make their way into the warm sunlight and the grass was losing its dainty brown color while switching to a more lush green. Since Moo's defeat, things had calmed down in the world and it seemed almost like it had all been one horrible dream. To the rebels who defeated the King of the Baddies, though, it was anything but a mere nightmare. Even after a year, the group still stuck close to each other out of habit and were always on alert for any danger. Two of the group members were on alert for other reasons, however. Holly smiled softly as she walked close to Genki's side while occasionally her boots would splash in a muddy puddle of water. The rain had kept everyone locked indoors, so the couple hadn't seen each other for the past week and even though it was risky, the two were more than ready to take a walk together even with the fear of being caught in the back of their minds._

"…_hey, Holly?"_

"_Yes? What is it?"_

"_Do you remember what tomorrow is?"_

_Holly chuckled quietly before she took Genki's hand in her own and gave it a gentle squeeze. "How could I forget? It's been a year since we've been a couple. The time went so fast!"_

"_I know what you mean. Time flies, huh?" Genki replied with a grin, but suddenly his face got serious as he cleared his throat and tightened his grip on Holly's hand. "Holly…?"_

"…_yes?"_

"_Since it's our one year anniversary and everything, I was wondering if maybe you'd like to go to dinner with me? You know, as a date?" Genki asked with one of his trademark grins that melted Holly's heart every time he flashed it her way. Because of their unusual situation with Holly's father, the couple never had the chance to go to a formal dinner together. The opportunity to do so was too good to pass up._

"_Really? Oh, Genki! I'd love to!" Holly exclaimed with excitement, but all at once her eyes fell downcast and a frown crossed her face. "But… what about my father? I don't want to get you into trouble…"_

"_Don't worry, Holly! I've been planning this out carefully for the past month!"_

"_Really? That long?"_

"_Yup! Here's the plan: You tell your father you're going out to dinner with Suezo to celebrate the anniversary of Moo's defeat. Meanwhile, Hare and I go to Golem's restaurant to grab a bite to eat after a day of working and we just happen to run into you guys. Then Suezo and Hare just happen to want to go to the bar section of the restaurant so we just happen to be left alone. Life is full of coincidences, huh?" Genki said with a playful wink._

"_That actually sounds like it'll work!" Holly replied with a giggle. "Alright, it's a date!"_

* * *

><p>That was twenty seven hours ago. With a half hour to go before he had to leave to go meet his date, Genki was quick to turn to his fellow rebels for assistance in getting prepped for his first true date, but asking Hare and Tiger may have been a mistake. What started as a simple question of attire had since then turned into a complete battlefield.<p>

"No, the tie looks more professional!"

"Maybe, but a bowtie is way classier!"

"Yeah right! Maybe if he wants to be a comedian! If he wants to look spiffy for his date, the tie is the way to go!"

"He'll look like a stuck-up business man if he wears a tie! The bowtie will make him look more relaxed!"

"You don't know anything about dressing up, rabbit!"

"Oh, and you're any better, mutt?"

Genki sighed as he watched Hare and Tiger once again begin arguing. He was already nervous beyond words and the added stress wasn't helping the boy in the least bit. Even back in his world, Genki was never one to get dressed up. Now looking at himself in the mirror, he felt a strange chill run up his spine at seeing his reflection. His normally messy hair was combed back and although he hated it, the others insisted he do so. His normally baggy white t-shirt and brown shorts had been replaced with a simple black tuxedo Hare had obtained for an occasion like this, though he had to admit he didn't mind the suit so much. With a small smile, Genki slowly placed his orange hat on top of his head where it always resided, but he let out a yell when Hare quickly snatched it off.

"Hey! What's the big idea?" Genki growled angrily as he grabbed his hat back from the rabbit monster.

"We didn't comb your hair back for nothing, Genki! You absolutely _can't _wear your hat, okay? I know how much you love it, but it would be completely out of place! Don't you want to look slick for Holly?" Hare spoke sternly as he still held onto the bowtie he had been trying to make Genki wear earlier.

"Well, yeah, I guess I want her to like how I look…" Genki admitted with a frown as he gave his hat one last glance before tucking it under his jacket. It pained him not to wear it, but at least he still had it near him.

"Good. Now… tie or bowtie?"

After another ten minutes of fighting about which to wear, the trio flipped a coin and soon Genki found himself wearing a bowtie while Hare decided to wear the tie just for kicks. With a wave of luck from Mocchi and Tiger, both Genki and Hare were off and running to the restaurant where they knew a certain brunette girl and eyeball monster were waiting for them. The restaurant was simple, but sweet as several tables were being waited on by waitresses. As the duo looked around for their companions, they couldn't help but smile at seeing Golem cooking in the backroom before he went to wait at the bar. Both made it a mental note to tell him, no matter how bad the food was, that the meal was delicious.

"Genki! Hare! Over here!"

With the sound of their names being spoken, Genki and Hare quickly turned to where the sound was coming from, but the scene made Genki take a second look. Suezo was sitting idly at a table as he waved to them, but that wasn't what Genki was looking at. Holly stood at the side of the table with a smile plastered on her face as she waved the group over. Her hair was without its usual ribbon and it hung loosely down her back. Instead of her baggy pants, Holly wore a simple red and black plaid skirt that went down to her knees while she wore a red shirt with black flat shoes. From her expression, Genki could see the bashfulness and nervousness gleaming in her eyes, and it made him feel a little better knowing he wasn't the only one. Still, to say she looked beautiful was an understatement in Genki's mind, but he found himself being snapped out of his thoughts by Suezo's voice.

"You know, you can stop _gawking_ at her now." Suezo stated with a role of his eye.

"S-sorry…" Genki trailed off with embarrassment.

"Oh, Suezo, don't be like that." Holly huffed as she placed her hands on her hips. "Now, don't you have some place to go?"

"I'm going, I'm going…" Suezo muttered while he stood up from his seat before hopping to Hare's side. "You up for a round of shots?"

"You bet!"

Holly sweated slightly as she watched the two monsters head off to the bar, and she could already imagine the trouble the two would get into if they got intoxicated. It would be New Year's all over again, though luckily a drunken Colt wouldn't be with them. Before she could say anything, though, a smile fell on her lips as she watched Genki pull a chair out while motioning for her to be seated.

"A seat for the pretty lady?" Genki said playfully.

"Why thank you, good sir!" Holly piped up as she played along with a blush on her face while sitting down gently. With a grin of success, Genki quickly walked around to the other side of the table before taking a seat across from his date.

"So… do you have any idea what you want to order?" Genki spoke up to break the awkward silence. He had never been out to dinner before like this and he wasn't entirely sure what to do or what to say. The last thing he wanted was to make a fool out of himself in front of Holly.

"I'm not really sure. I don't really eat out much. How about you?"

"I have no idea, either. What about a drink?"

"I'll probably start with some water. What about you?"

"Same here."

The air filled with silence once more, but luckily a waitress came over to get them drinks and within moments she returned with two glasses of water. Genki found himself unable to look at Holly due to his nerves, so his eyes drifted to the water that was in front of him and he couldn't help but feel strange seeing his reflection. There he was; no hat, no casual clothes, and no courage. How was a gentleman supposed to act? Better yet, how did _Holly _want him to act? Was she happy with him? Was he doing something wrong? Unsure of what exactly to do, Genki coughed slightly before nervously reaching out for his glass while trying to maintain a proper disposition, but he felt his eyes widen in horror when the glass tipped over and cold water spilt across the table onto Holly's lap. Shocked at the sudden chill, Holly leapt to her feet with a surprised yelp and Genki was quick to grab some napkins and run to her side.

"Holly! I'm so sorry! Really!" Genki exclaimed in embarrassment as he felt shame wash over his body. He almost expected her to turn heel and leave in a huff, but to his surprise Holly only giggled softly as she thanked him for the napkins before wiping herself off.

"It's alright, Genki. Really, it's only water. No harm done." Holly replied with a warm smile while a few waitresses cleaned up their table from the spill. After a moment, the young couple slowly sat back down, though Genki couldn't help but feel guilty.

"I'm_ really_ sorry, Holly. Are you sure you're not mad?"

"Oh, Genki. You're worrying too much. Really; I'm fine."

"Y-you, know, you look really stunning, Holly." Genki spoke up suddenly while catching both Holly and himself off guard.

"Thank you, Genki. I'm not really use to dressing up, but I wanted to look nice for you. You look very handsome yourself. I really love your bowtie." Holly replied merrily as her cheeks flushed red at her words while Genki made a mental note to go with bowties from now on. "I'm not use to you with combed hair or you not wearing your hat, too…"

"I'm not use to it either." Genki replied glumly, and within his tone Holly could sense the slight dread it held.

"…why didn't you wear it?"

"I… I wanted to look nice for you and it wouldn't be very fancy of me to wear it, would it?"

"…you brought it with you, didn't you?"

Holly chuckled softly, knowing from the start he couldn't leave his hat behind, as she extended her hand while Genki laughed as he dug into the inside of his tuxedo pocket and pulled out his orange hat. It was beaten and worn, yet it symbolized every adventure he had ever been on. With a smile Holly leaned over the table before ruffling Genki's once neat hair; causing Genki to gape up at her in shock. Before he could speak, Holly lowered her head slightly before kissing his forehead and placing his hat on top of his head in one swift motion.

"Why did you do that?" Genki asked in surprise and although he was beyond relieved, he was also confused.

"Genki, I don't like you because of your hair or anything like that. I like you because of who you are and that's just the way I want things to be between us. So we don't look as fancy as the other couples eating here. Since when have we ever cared about fitting in?" Holly replied with a playful wink. "I want you to always be you and if that hat is a part of you, then wear it."

"You really mean that?"

"Of course. I like seeing you dressed up and all, but I'd rather see you happy." The girl spoke with a smile before she extended her arm out where a red ribbon was tied loosely around her wrist. "See? My hair ribbon is such a part of me that I couldn't leave it behind, either."

Genki looked at the worn, but cute ribbon on Holly's wrist and he was surprised when the girl took his hand in her own before bringing it up to rest on her cheek. A gentle smile was ever present on the girl's face as she let out a content sigh before looking at Genki with loving eyes.

"And Genki. I know you're nervous going on an official date with me and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous, either. Just remember; it's just me. You don't have to try and act different or anything. It's just like normal except we're eating at a restaurant, is all. I'm still the same girl who's travelled with you for years and who's always looked out for you to make sure you weren't getting into trouble." Holly spoke with a chuckle as she slowly brought Genki's hand back down on the table.

"When you put it like that, it's not so nerve-wracking." Genki admitted with a smile. After a moment of silence, Holly slowly picked up her glass of water before extending it out to Genki with a wryly grin on her face. Her eyes sparkled with slight jitters, but they also shone with pure happiness and a hint of determination. It had been a year of slow going for their relationship, but she was ready to push aside their fears and strive for a real relationship as long as he was ready for the journey.

"Cheers?"

Genki's eyes gleamed at the girl sitting across from him and he was quick, though careful, to pick up his glass and extend it out to gently clink against his date's. The sound was quiet, yet meaningful and a playful grin found its way on Genki's face while he kept his eyes locked with Holly's. He, too, was ready to take on the world with Holly and he could feel that throughout the obstacles that would be thrown at them, they could make it.

"Cheers!"

* * *

><p>As you can tell, I love bowties. :D Just some bantering and what not! XD These one-shots aren't full; they're just moments in their relationship since it would be too many words for me to write out their full date. I love nervous Genki. I think he's just so sweet. Now, though, the awkward ness between them is starting to disappear and they'll eventually be pretty casual with each other. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!<p>

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	5. E: Envision

I'm so tired from school. I really just want to drop out, but I know I can't since I'm too proud. XD Time to vent a little!

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**E: Envision**

"Just one more!"

"No way! You're so drunk I'm amazed you're even standing!"

"Come on! I'm fine!"

Suezo's slurred plea for another drink went unheard by Hare, who was currently the one maintaining the open bar at the annual New Year's Eve festival in Toriyama. The rabbit monster let out a snort as he watched Suezo try to reach for another pitch of ale, but he was quick to smack the eyeball monster upside the head and with that, Suezo hobbled back into the crowd to either try dancing with beautiful ladies or to pass out somewhere. Either way, Hare didn't care as long as he wasn't the one dealing with him. The intelligent monster let out a low chuckle as he shook his head with amusement before scanning the festival with a grin on his face. It had become tradition for friends of the rebels to stop by Toriyama on New Year's Eve to celebrate and to have a good time. Hare could see Kato helping Falcon cook some food for the festival goers while Ducken helped coordinate the playing band. Things were going smoothly for once and even Tiger was enjoying catching up with Gray Wolf over a keg of liquor. Life was good.

"You never told me how you managed to defeat Moo the last time, Genki."

"Really? I'll tell you all about it then, Granity!"

Hare's attention was pulled away from his other friends as he turned to where he heard the voices, but he stopped in mid spin as he caught sight of a lone figure sitting at an empty table. Holly was slumped down slightly as her eyes gazed forward intensely as if she was facing a deadly foe. A mix of the night sky along with the burning torches all around the area made her eyes look so deep with a mixture of confusion and shame. Hare, after quickly locking up the bar area for a moment, was fast to walk to the girl's side before sitting down next to her with a concerned expression on his face. Seeing Holly down was one of the worst things in the world and Hare couldn't not try to see if he could help.

"Holly? Why are you sitting by yourself?" Hare asked with puzzlement as he gently placed his hand on her shoulder and even though she jumped slightly from the touch, he didn't let his hand drop.

"Oh, Hare! You startled me!" Holly said with a chuckle as she was snapped out of her trance. "Um, what was it you asked me again?"

"I asked you why you're sitting all alone over here." Hare repeated.

"Oh… it's nothing." Holly replied with a fake smile.

"Now, your act can fool just about everyone, but I'm a genius, remember? You can't fool me so easily."

"There's no getting past you, is there?"

"Nope. So, tell me what's going on. We're friends, right?"

"I hate it when you guys pull the friend card. It always makes me feel so guilty." Holly stated with a huff.

"We know; that's why we use it. So spill." Hare replied with a playful wink, one in which caused Holly's eyes to brighten faintly.

"Alright, you win." The brunette said with a sad smile before her gaze once again drifted to where it had been before, and Hare was quick to follow her view. Out in a small area designated as the dance area, Genki and Granity danced slowly with one another with smiles plastered on their faces as they talked about old and new adventures.

"Wait… are you _jealous_?" Hare asked in surprise as he looked over to his friend. Holly was the kind of person who never got jealous over anything. Even thinking such a thought about her was strange and seemed wrong.

"That's just it; I'm not sure. I mean, Genki and Granity have always been close and it's never bothered me before. Even last year at the New Year's Eve festival, him and I were already dating and I had no problem watching them dance even when Granity got a bit tipsy and was hanging all over him. They're just two friends hanging out and having fun after not seeing each other for a while. But now…" Holly trailed off with a saddened sigh, and Hare was more surprised when she quickly wiped away a lone tear that had almost fallen.

"Oh, Holly… Don't feel bad about it. You have every right to feel the way you do." Hare tried to speak soothingly as he carefully wrapped his arms around the girl and brought her into a comforting hug.

"But, Hare, it's not that easy! Now, when I see them together, I find myself comparing her and I. I mean, she has a much better figure than me, her breasts are larger, she's more elegant, she's strong, she's smart, and she's courageous… I mean, look at me! I'm so plain and I don't even have the courage to face my own father about my relationship with Genki. I can't compare to her! I don't even know why Genki is even dating me anymore…" The wielder of the Magic Stone choked out as she buried her face into Hare's warm chest.

"Holly, don't you for a second start doubting your relationship with Genki because you don't think you're good enough. You have it all wrong! It's true, Granity is very attractive and powerful, but you are too! Granity was born with powers because she's a monster, but you've had to struggle your whole life and because of it you're stronger than any woman I've ever met. And you're beautiful, too. Hell, any of the guys in our group would kill to have a date with you!" Hare replied with a wryly smile and his grin only grew as he heard Holly giggle softly against his chest. Her grasp became weaker for a moment, though, and Hare felt worry rise into his chest.

"But, Hare, I'm a horrible person."

"_What?_ Why would you say that?"

"Granity has been our friend for so many years and without her, we would never have been able to beat Moo. We've always had a good relationship, but lately I've been finding myself _hating_ her because of how close she is with Genki. She's my good friend, though, and I don't want Granity and Genki to stop being friends because of me! Oh, Phoenix, what's wrong with me? Why do I feel this way?" Holly mumbled shamefully as she let out strained sigh. The situation was like nothing she had ever gone through before and it was more frustrating than anything.

"…Holly, I know what your problem is and things won't get better until you admit it."

"Really? What is it? Please tell me!"

"…You have been friends with Genki for years now and you've developed feelings for him over the past couple years. Even at the festival last year, you were still at a different stage in your relationship which is why you didn't feel jealous of Granity. Things have changed, though, and it's time now for you to realize it."

"…realize what?"

"You're in love with Genki."

"_WHAT?_"

Holly felt the color drain from her face as she stared at the rabbit monster like he had sprouted another set of ears. She always knew she had a crush on Genki and, since they started dating, it had always been that way. Their relationship was simple, consisting of just two teenagers with crushes on one another. Things couldn't get much easier than that. The step from crush to love was a huge leap to take, and suddenly Holly felt butteries start forming in her stomach and for her heart to beat faster. Love always was like something from a fairy tale; it was something so beautiful and pure that it couldn't possibly happen in real life. Now, though, the girl realized it had been sitting in front of her the whole time and all she needed was someone to help open her eyes.

"Do… do you really think so?" Holly asked with a gulp.

"Think? I know so." Hare replied with a shrug.

"Oh, Phoenix… Do you think Genki feels the same? What if he doesn't? What should I do?"

"Come on, Holly. You have plenty of time to think it over later, but for now enjoy the festival so wipe away that frown and tears." Hare said softly as he gave Holly a soothing pat on the back before he lifted his hand to brush away a few stray tears from Holly's face. "You need some time to think things over. If you ever need someone to talk to, though, you know I'll always be there and so will the others."

"Thank you so much, Hare. Really, I appreciate it a lot." Holly said with a serene smile while she straightened her hair and wiped her eyes. "You're right; I need to enjoy the festival."

"Anytime. Now that everything's taken care of, how about honoring me with a dance?" Hare spoke up with a wryly smile as he stood up before extending his arm out to the brunette.

"I'd be delighted to." Holly grinned as she hooked arms with the rabbit monster who then led her out to the dance floor. When Hare placed both his hands on the girl's waist, Holly gently placed her hands on his shoulders and the duo danced slowly, but enjoyably with one another while other couples began to dance around them as well. While she danced with her comrade, Holly couldn't help but glance over at Genki and Granity every so often. The two seemed happy as they talked with one another and even though Holly knew both Genki and Granity would never betray her, she still felt that strange feeling tugging inside her as she watched the pair. Her heart would flutter with each glance she took at Genki, and the realization of it all finally sunk in and it both excited her to no end and scared her to death.

She was in _love_ with Genki Sakura.

* * *

><p>Another short one-shot! Realizing that you don't have a crush on someone and that it's actually love is probably one of the most wonderful, yet scariest things in the world. XD I really love Holly and Hare banters so I'm glad I finally got to write one for this story. So Holly finally realizes she's in love with Genki. Does Genki feel the same? Oooohhh, suspense! …not really. XD This chapter was actually going to be the opposite with Genki realizing he loves Holly by talking with Tiger after watching Holly and Hare dancing, but after reading ripitupgenki's stories that hint at GranityGenki, I couldn't resist this. XD Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	6. F: Forgive

I'm writing this after having the worst blood donation experience of my life. The guy was so rough that I can't move my right arm because it's so bruised, so this whole chapter will be written with only my left hand. ;A; Sorry for any spelling errors! Also I'll response to PMs ASAP! I've been studying like crazy so I haven't had much free time.

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**F: Forgive**

Rain splashed soothingly on the windows of a darkened room as if trying to be of comfort, but to no avail. Genki sighed irritably while he looked up at the ceiling as he lay sprawled out in his bed; his orange hat lying carelessly abandoned on the floor. His eyes were red from lack of sleep and his body felt as though he had been trampled by a herd of Bakus. His cheek, although nothing was visible, still stung faintly, but not nearly as badly as his heart did. Everything had been going so great and all of a sudden, it was like an explosion of bitterness and anger. With a moan, Genki slowly turned his head to stare out into the water blotched window, but for some reason it only made his heart ache more. He wasn't sure how things had gotten so out of hand, but it didn't matter now. There was no going back to change what happened or what had been said.

"_Yeah, well, at least I have parents that care about me!"_

What had started as a normal day of hanging out with their friends had quickly taken a U-turn for Genki and Holly as they stood glaring at one another while their friends could only watch helplessly from the sidelines. Genki winced as he thought back to the careless words he had spoken merely in spite. He never meant it nor would he ever say anything to purposely hurt Holly, but in the heat of their first real fight he had shouted that sentence before he could even think. Holly's expression of absolute betrayal and hurt was still burned into his brain and he doubted he would ever forget it. Her eyes, which only seconds earlier had been filled with fire, quickly filled with agony and tears before she had brought her hand up and slapped Genki across the face. The sound of her hit echoed in his skull before she marched away angrily; now in which Genki regretted being too stunned to go after her. Just thinking about it made his skin crawl and he couldn't forget that moment no matter how hard he tried. Now, three days later, it was still raining and Genki was still in his room just staring at the ceiling or, when he felt like switching it up a bit, he'd stare out the window.

Truthfully, he couldn't even remember what the fight had been about or why he had spoken those harsh words. Maybe the fight had started about what they would eat that day or where they would go, but he couldn't be sure. It was a senseless thing to say, especially since his parents were in a completely different universe; making his words rather empty. Another sigh exited the boy's mouth as he turned on his back to stare at the ceiling once more while he clenched his hands tightly. Since the fight, he had been trying to build up the strength to go to Holly and apologize, but whenever he went to leave his room, he'd lose his nerve. Besides, maybe she needed time to think just as he needed.

He couldn't believe that after almost two years of dating that a fight like that could have broken out between them, though. They _never _fought normally, so he wasn't sure what had happened. They were always the picture perfect couple; they always held hands, they were always kind to each other, and they always tried their best to make the other happy. Sometimes, though, their stubborn sides would come out and end in interesting results. This time, though, the ending wasn't something they could laugh about like usual.

"…Genki? I'm coming in."

The visitor didn't wait for Genki's reply as the door opened and Tiger slowly entered with a solemn expression. The fight between the couple didn't just affect them; each of the rebels was feeling the strain and stress. Tiger sighed softly as he quietly walked to Genki's side before sitting down and glancing over to the boy. He had seen Genki in saddened states before like after Baku was killed or when Captain Astro died, but never had he seen him so broken before and deep down, it really worried the wolf monster even if he wouldn't outright admit it.

"…how are you holding up?" Tiger spoke up to break the silence.

"…I don't really know." Genki replied with a sigh, his face now buried in his arms.

"I suppose that's to be expected…"

"…yeah…"

"So, what? You're just going to sulk around here forever?"

"…that's the plan."

"Genki, you need to get up and go talk to Holly." Tiger spoke bluntly while his eyes flashed dangerously.

"Yeah, right. I think I'm the last person in the world she wants to see right now." Genki mumbled as he turned over to face his comrade.

"You may think that, but I know she cares too much about you to let one fight come between you." The wolf monster replied quickly and strongly.

"How would _you_ know?"

"Because she wouldn't be standing outside right now in the rain if she hated you."

Genki's eyes widened in surprise before he leapt off his bed and bolted to the window while Tiger watched the boy with a stern look. Outside in the heavy downpour stood a lone figure in front of the house, but even with his vision distorted from the weather he could still make out a familiar girl wearing a red top with a maroon vest. With a small gulp, Genki slowly turned to Tiger, whom was now looking rather entertained.

"How long has she been out there?" Genki asked quietly.

"I was going to let you two patch things up on your own without interferences by me, but I couldn't let her keep doing this to herself. She's been coming here and just standing out there in the rain every day since your fight; though I guess she always loses her courage because she always leaves after a couple hours without ever saying a word."

"You can't be serious!"

"I am. Now, go talk to her and bring her in before she gets sick. You have something more important to do right now than to be talking with me." Tiger stated with a nod of his head and Genki was quick to take the opportunity to thank the wolf monster before bolting out of the room; leaving Tiger to smile to himself. Before the wolf monster could leave, though, a small chuckle from the doorway caused him to whip around before glaring at an amused Hare. "Just what the hell do you want?"

"Nice to see you, too." Hare replied with a wink as he folded his arms over his chest while looking down at Tiger with a wryly smile. "I never knew you were such a good motivator, Tiger. You surprised me there."

"Feh, I have my moments. What's it to you?"

"Nothing. I'm just saying that was really nice of you, is all." Hare stated with a smile before walking out of the room with amusement; leaving Tiger to look in surprise that Hare hadn't instigated him about it.

Outside, the rain and wind were cold to the touch as Genki nervously opened the door to reveal, several feet away, Holly standing like a statue in front of the house. Her entire body was drenched and her wet hair clung to her angelic face as she shivered slightly, but never moved from her spot. As the girl finally realized who it was who was standing in the doorway, her eyes widened and she shifted with discomfort at his gaze. The pain of their fight still lingered in her mind, but no matter what she couldn't find it in herself to leave. Fear and uncertainty bubbled in both the humans' minds, but now there was no turning back even if they wanted to.

"…Holly…"

"…Genki…"

After hearing his name spoken softly, Genki felt his heart do a flip. Her voice had a quiver to it from both the chill of the rain and from being nervous, but no matter what just hearing her speak his name caused Genki to finally snap. With one last glance to the soaked girl, Genki called her name out once more before running out of the warmth of the house and flinging his arms around Holly; bringing her into the tightest hug they had ever shared. At that moment he didn't care that she was so soaked that he, too, was now wet. He didn't care that the rain and wind was still whipping into them like spiked whips and small needles. Most of all, he didn't even care that a few stray tears ran down his face as he held the shivering girl tightly while she buried her face into his chest. All that mattered was that he wasn't going to let Holly go no matter what happened.

The fight was over and forgiveness was given.

* * *

><p>This was a very short one. I'm also fond of Genki and Tiger banters, so that's why this happened. XD Sorry for the shortness, but I'm having a hard time typing with just my left hand. It's actually really tough! XD<p>

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	7. G: Games

I know I've been focusing on this story and not Delusions of the Heart, but I promise it won't be for much longer. I have my ideas in play for the letters H and I, but once those two are done I'm shifting gears to work on DotH again. Sorry again for slacking like that! These chapters are fun to write since they're short and random while DotH are long and have to be planned out. Thank you for sticking with me! :D Since the last two chapters were kind of serious, here's some fluff. :3

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**G: Games**

"So… do you have any tens?"

"Nope! Go fish!"

"Aw…"

"Okay, so do you have any eights?"

"No, I'm sorry. Could you please go fishing?"

"Wait! That's not how you're supposed to say it, Holly!"

Genki huffed slightly with fake aggravation as he watched Holly blush bashfully. Ever since he could remember, he had always been learning about things from the world of the monsters and he never thought much about it. On a rainy day, though, Holly had stopped by Hare's house and suddenly had showed great interest in what things were like back in Genki's world. The next thing he knew, he was teaching his girlfriend all about different games to pass the time. At first he wasn't sure what to show the curious girl, but when he came across one of Hare's deck of cards he knew card games were the answer. Truthfully, Genki wasn't a fan of card games, but he wasn't about to disappoint Holly after seeing her look of excitement. At first he had suggested they play a game of 'war', but the name alone was a turn-off to Holly so next came the easiest game to learn: 'go fish'.

"I don't understand what I said wrong. I said what you said, only worded a little differently." Holly spoke up with a look of puzzlement as she glanced up at her boyfriend while making sure her hand of cards remained hidden. Growing up in a situation like she had, Holly had never been one to play cards. She wasn't even sure where Suezo learned how to play, but she had a feeling it wasn't legal.

"The game is called 'go fish' so whenever someone asks you for a card and you don't have it, you're suppose to shout 'go fish!' and that's it." Genki replied with a nod of his head. He was trying his best to start out with easy games, but it didn't seem to be working out quite as he had planned.

"But, I don't like it."

"Huh? Why not?"

"I think it sounds rude. It's like, if you told me 'go shopping!', I'd be offended. If you asked politely, though, like 'could you please go shopping?' then I wouldn't mind. I feel like I'm demanding you to go fishing and that's not very nice." Holly explained with uncertainty while Genki face faulted in suprise.

"Holly! It's just a game! I'm not really telling you to go fishing or anything!" Genki stated with a chuckle as he found Holly's reasoning to be downright sweet. "I would never demand anything from you, let alone demand you to go fishing in the rain."

"…your world has strange games, Genki." The brunette replied with a wryly smile.

"Yours too! I mean, out of all the games this world could have, you guys play intense 'old maid'! In my world, 'old maid' is probably one of the lamest card games around." Genki laughed softly as he looked back to when Suezo played 'old maid' with Captain Horn with Holly as their betting chip.

"I can't argue there." Holly said with a giggle. "So, what other games can you teach me?"

"I don't know too many, but does this world play a game called 'pyramids'?"

"Never heard of it."

"Solitaire?"

"Nope."

"Blackjack?"

"No, sorry."

"What about 'bull shit'?"

"…I beg your pardon?"

"No! I didn't mean it in a bad way! It's just a random card game I use to play with my friends, but I can already tell we should wait on that one." Genki responded as he sweated slightly while he noted Holly's look of puzzlement. "How about poker?"

"…poker? I know how to play that game!"

"_Really? _This world plays _poker_? I wouldn't have guessed..."

"Yeah, watch!" Holly exclaimed before she leaned over the table before beginning to gently poke Genki on his sides. A laugh of ticklish enjoyment released from Genki's throat before he, too, leaned forward and began to poke at Holly's unguarded sides. With a yelp, the young girl reeled back into her seat as if she had been stuck by lightening, but Genki was fast to bolt to her side before continuing to childishly poke her. Try as she must, Holly couldn't escape the boy's incoming attacks and all she could do was squirm around and laugh hysterically.

"Mercy! Mercy!" Holly choked out from her fit of laughter.

"Only if you promise to give me a kiss after!" Genki replied with a wryly grin.

"Okay! Okay! Deal!"

With a triumphant smile Genki stopped his assault on the girl, whom was now gasping for breath as she held her sides and let a few last remaining giggles out. After a moment of recovering, Holly smiled softly as she had to leaned up to brush her lips against Genki's since he was now a few inches taller than her, though she was still getting use to being shorter. Genki felt his face heat up from the kiss and he was quick to fully press his lips against her's in one quick motion. Suddenly he found his hands knotted in her soft hair and Holly's lips parted slightly, allowing his tongue entrance and for the kiss to deepen further. Her elegant hands came up to rest on the back of the young man's head while occasionally she would subconsciously stroke his hair in the back or grasp slightly at his hat. A soft moan exited from her mouth as she felt in absolute bliss, though this only caused Genki's heart to quicken and for his mouth to work faster while his hands caressed her sides gently. Suddenly, Genki felt his heart leap when one of Holly's hands slid up into his shirt to stroke his chest and the intense breathing coming from both of them was making his head spin and for his vision to cloud over.

"Whatcha playing, chi?"

At the sound of the voice, Genki and Holly tore apart in horror and embarrassment as if they had been burned while they turned to stared at Mocchi with wide-eyes and gaping mouths. They had no idea how long the young monster had been standing there for, but both knew he could have been there the whole time and they wouldn't have noticed a bit due to the state they were in. Both young adults' faces were blushed scarlet and they found themselves unable to look at each other while Mocchi waited patiently for an answer. After several minutes, Holly coughed awkwardly before kneeling down and placing a gentle hand on the young monster's head.

"We were just, uh, getting ready to play cards." Holly stammered, though her face was still as red as a ripe tomato.

"Really? Can I play, too, chi?" Mocchi asked with a grin.

"Of course! Genki was just teaching me some games from his world so now I'll have someone to learn with me." The brunette replied with a hesitant laugh while Mocchi cooed in excitement; the awkward timing moments earlier all but forgotten. As Holly sat back down in her seat with Mocchi in suite, she gave Genki an apologetic glance, though Genki didn't seem to notice as he stayed deep in thought for a moment.

'_If that happened when suggesting we play poker, I wonder how she would play strip poker…'_ Genki thought to himself with a blush, and he made it a mental note to find it out when it was only him and her home. It was then that he realized something: he actually _really_ liked card games more than he first thought.

* * *

><p>Whoop, I can't write kiss scenes for crap since I've never had my first kiss yet. My friend use to always poke me whenever I suggested we play poker so that's where this came from. XD This was another shorter one, but I had some fun with it. These past two chaptes have been pretty short, but that's mainly because my right arm is still recovering from my bad blood donating experience. XD Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!<p>

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	8. H: Hero

I think I'm having too much fun with this. XD I got a Monster Rancher cell phone strap that has little figurines of Mocchi and Suezo on it. It's so cute. XD Anyways! Thanks everyone for your feedback! This story has so many more reviews than I first thought it would get! You guys are the best! I want to especially thank you, ripitupgenki, for your constant and timely reviews! You're so wonderful! :D

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**H: Hero**

Holly let out a quiet yawn as she sat inside Hare's home in the living room with a half full tea cup in one hand and an open book in the other. Today was one of those rare low-key days that nothing eventful was occurring so the young woman found peace in reading a book. Only a day earlier she had been browsing the Toriyama market when suddenly she had glimpsed the cover of an old, yet familiar book being sold. The brunette had been quick to make her way over to the market stall before picking up the book to examine it closely and suddenly, she realized she had to buy it for it was the same one she had read in her earlier days. When Holly was young, she didn't have many friends and books were a way to spend her spare time when she wasn't cooking or cleaning. She used to love to read, though she had no time for it after Moo's attack on her village.

'_**The Dragon Lord, with its head reared back and its claws extended, tore forward at the knight whom, in turn, slashed his shining sword at the evil beast; metal and flesh connecting with a sickening rip while a splash of blood coated the floor and the weapon.'**_

Holly took a small sip tea before she placed the cup down in order to turn the page of the book. After spending an entire day reading the book, she was finally at the last chapter and she wasn't about to put the book down now. She could still remember, when she was young, how much she loved the knight in the story. She always dreamed of a knight in shining armor coming to rescue her before sweeping her away to get married and to live happily ever after. He always was handsome, he was strong, courageous, and would fight to protect the ones he loved. Every young girl would dream about a knight like that coming to their rescue, but like most dreams, that's all they were.

'_**The knight let out a raspy gasp of breath as he raised his mighty sword before bringing it down upon the Dragon Lord's neck in one swift motion. The beast let out a low gurgle before it stopped moving; no longer could it terrorize the local villages and it could kill no more. The tyrant was dead.'**_

The young woman's eyes scanned the page carefully as she read every sentence with care to ensure she picked up on every detail. She was a careful reader; one in which paid close attention to every hint and detail to make sure she was getting the full reading experience. Holly would always imagine the scenes in her mind, just as she had when she was young. She liked being able to picture what each character looked like from their physical appearance to the details of their clothes. She tried to make it as if they were real.

'_**The true treasure of the Dragon Lord wasn't the jewels or the gold coins lying in piles around the castle and the knight paid them no attention. With determination, he marched up the long stone stairwell up until he reached the door leading to the highest room in the fortress. The hinges of the door were rusty and the wood was rotting, but the knight could feel his heart race from what he knew waited for him behind that door. With his sword drawn, the armored man opened the door to reveal a lavished room with a single bed in the middle which held the Dragon Lord's prisoner; the princess.'**_

Holly's eye brow rose slightly as her eyes continued to read the story. She had loved this book when she was young. She had literally read the story a hundred times over and she never got tired of reading about her knight. He was so bold and charming that she would sometimes pretend she was the princess in the story and that he would be coming to rescue her. Holly couldn't help but chuckle softly as she thought back to how much she had wanted her knight in shining armor to come for her on a white steed and to ride away with him into the sunset. Oh, how little girls could dream.

'_**The princess was absolutely stunning; her golden locks shimmered in the sunlight and her eyes sparkled with love and affection. Her skin was soft without a single flaw and the simple dress she wore showed her marvelous curves. She was the most beautiful being the knight had ever seen, and he felt his heart skip a beat as she slowly took his helmet off to see the face of her savior. He was just as she had dreamt he would be; handsome, brave, and loyal. Without a word, the two slowly closed the gap between each other as their lips met in a passionate kiss before the knight gently picked up his princess and the two left behind the nightmare of the Dragon Lord forever.**_

_**The end.'**_

Holly blinked slightly as she read over the chapter again before she let out a huff and tossed the book on the group with a low thump. "That book… was awful." She whispered to herself as a scowl played on her lips.

"Hey, Holly!" Hare greeted as he walked into the room with a grin until he noted the book on the ground in which he was quick to pick up. "So this is what you've been up to all day. Mind if I read it once you're done?"

"I'm already done so you can have it. Don't get your expectations up on that one, though." Holly replied with a shrug as she picked up her tea cup before taking a small sip of the warm liquid; a look of disappointment written on her face.

"Holly, what's wrong?" Hare asked with a frown.

"It's just… when I was young I was in love with that book! I would read it at least twice a week, but I just finished reading it and I found it to be so... well... _corny_. I guess I'm just a little disappointed, is all. I was so excited to read that book again but it wasn't as good as I remembered it being." The brunette said with a small bitter chuckle.

"Yeah, I know the feeling. It's probably because you went on a real adventure, ya know? So all that fictional stuff isn't as good to you anymore because you know firsthand what a real adventure really is like." The rabbit monster stated with a nod of his head before he waved to the girl and headed off to go join the other rebels; leaving Holly to think carefully about Hare's words.

'_Hare's right; it's probably because I went on a real adventure.'_ Holly thought to herself as she looked down at her cup of tea. _'I wish I still liked the knight like I use to, though. The adventure part of the book I can understand not liking now, but why do I not like the knight anymore?'_

"Holly, chi!" Mocchi yelled as he ran into the house with a large grin on his pudgy face. His body was covered in dirt, but he didn't seem to mind. "You wanna come play with us?"

"What are you playing?" Holly asked with amusement as she went to the kitchen before coming back with a wet rag in her hands. With a smile, the young woman knelt down before using the cloth to wipe away some of the dirt from Mocchi's face like a mother would do to their child, though Mocchi didn't complain.

"Genki's teaching me how to play a game from his world called 'baseball'! It's really fun, chi, but we need more people to play! Will you play with us? Please, chi?" Mocchi pleaded with a childish smile that melted Holly's heart.

"Sure, I'd love to." The young woman replied with a warm smile while Mocchi cheered before half dragging her out of the house to where the rest of the rebels were hanging around in the back yard. With bases set up in a diamond shape while using a stick and a regular ball, the rebels were having fun attempting to play the game from Genki's world, though it wasn't very easy for some of the players.

"This taste like crap!" Suezo complained as he had a homemade baseball glove on his tongue as he stood at the third base.

"If you try catching a ball without it, though, it'll probably hurt!" Genki called out from his spot at first base.

"You think you have it bad? I can't even wear a glove so be happy you can!" Tiger mumbled from his spot in the outfield.

"I don't… need a glove…" Golem stated with a smile as he stood behind home plate as the catcher.

"Lucky…" Suezo mumbled. "It's the one good time you're made of rock…"

"Stop you're complaining, Suezo! It's a beautiful day and I want to play!" Hare shouted as he held the stick in his hands while he waited for Mocchi to get back to pitching. At seeing Holly's presence, though, the rabbit monster's smile grew as he waved to her merrily. "Hey, Holly! You joining us?"

"I think I will after I watch you guys for a minute first!" Holly called back with a smile as she stood off to the side of first base while she caught Genki flash her a grin.

"So, are you my first base coach?" Genki joked with a chuckle.

"I don't know what that is, but I will be if that's what you want me to be." Holly replied with a wink; causing Genki to blush slightly.

"Hey you two! Stop _flirting_ and get ready!" Suezo shouted with a scowl.

"Shut up, Suezo!"

"Make me, Genki!"

"Back to the game!" Hare spoke up with a swing of the stick to break up the argument before a playful gleam shone in his eyes. "Now up to bat is the greatest player this game has ever seen; _Hare the Magnificent!_ Hear the crowd going wild?"

"…I don't hear anything, rabbit. Shows how popular _you_ are." Tiger stated with a role of his eyes.

"I'll show you, mutt! Pitch the ball, Mocchi!" Hare shouted as he got into a batting stance with a look of determination.

"Okay, chi! Here I go!" Mocchi announced as he pulled his arm back before launching the ball forward as fast as he could throw it. With a grin, Hare swung the stick as hard as he could in hopes that maybe he could hit Tiger with a line drive to the face. The second the ball and stick connected, though, the color drained from Hare's face as he realized the direction the ball was really heading.

"HOLLY! WATCH OUT!"

Everything happened so fast that Holly didn't have time to react. She could almost feel the crushing pain of being hit by the oncoming ball and she could feel her entire body tense up in anticipation for the pain. What she didn't expect, however, was for no pain to come at all. In fact, she felt strangely good. She felt her body wash over in warmth and it took several seconds for her mind to click that she was, indeed, safe. There was no ball, no impact, and no pain. It took a minute for the young woman to register what had happened, but when her mind snapped out of it she could hear a variety of shouting and voices that seemed to blur together until she snapped out of her trance.

"Holly… are you alright?"

A soft voice echoed in her mind and, when her vision finally cleared, she could feel a pair of strong arms wrapped strongly against her as her body was pressing up firmly against someone's chest. Genki held the young woman tightly as if she would disappear at any given moment if he let go. His eyes were filled with fear and, Holly suddenly realized, it was fear for _her_. Suddenly, the rest of the rebels, too, were crowded around the duo as they glanced in concern.

"I'm so sorry! I swear I didn't know that would happen!" Hare exclaimed with guilt.

"Don't worry, this happens plenty of times in the game. It can't be helped." Genki replied with a smile.

"But, still! You got hit! Are you okay?" Hare asked with concern, but no one had a chance to respond as Holly suddenly found her voice again and she stared at Genki with wide-eyes.

"Y-you got hit?" Holly asked numbly.

"His reflexes are impressive. The second the ball was hit he ran out and shielded you with his body. I guess all those days of adventuring had their advantages." Tiger replied with a soft chuckle. "You really should get that checked out, kid."

"Nah, it's only my back. No big deal; it can't be worse than when Pixie shot me off a cliff." Genki said with a shrug of his shoulders, but suddenly worry filled his mind as he felt Holly trembling in his arms and even more fear coursed through him when Holly looked up at him with tear filled eyes. "Holly? _Holly!_ Are you alright? What's wrong?"

"Y-you got hurt b-because of me, Genki! I'm s-so sorry! Why d-did you put y-yourself at risk l-like that?" Holly stuttered slightly as she tried her best to keep her composure. "You s-shouldn't have…"

"Oh, Holly, don't feel bad! I didn't have to do it; I _wanted_ to and I always will. I'll always protect you when I can." Genki said with a smile while Holly hugged him a little tighter while burying her head into his chest.

"…thank you…"

"Anytime."

"Aw… you two are so cute! It's like a knight saving a princess!" Hare cooed with a wryly smile while the other rebels agreed with him, but he felt confusion wash over him as Holly looked back to glance at him quizzically. "Erm, what?"

"Can you repeat that?" Holly asked quietly.

"Repeat what?"

"The thing you said about the knight."

"All I said was that it's kind of like those fairy tales when the knight saves the princess from danger. Genki's kind of like a knight and you're like a princess. I didn't mean to offend you or anything." Hare said with a chuckle.

"No, no. You didn't offend me." Holly replied softly as she slowly looked up at Genki who was currently still hugging her tightly while talking casually to Tiger. _'…that's why I didn't like the knight in the book anymore. It's because he's fake; a made up character used only for reading pleasure. I needed him when I was little, but I haven't needed him in years because this whole time…_

…_my real hero has always been with me.'_

* * *

><p>Kinda corny, but I was in a corny mood. The Dragon Lord thing was the most steriotypical name I could come up with for the book's villian. XD I always felt that the rebels would love learning about things from Genki's world and that he'd have so much fun teaching them. XD I hate reading books I use to like and finding out they now suck. The same goes for some stories on this site too. I use to love some of them and now I can't read them. XD Thanks again for reading and reviewing!<p>

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	9. I: Ice

Okay, this is the last chapter of this story that will be written until I get another chapter or two done of Delusions of the Heart. Thanks everyone for their reviews so far, though especially ripitupgenki, who has been sticking with this story since the very start and who reviews so fast. This story seems to have slowed down a bit from readers, so I guess now's a good a time as any to take a break from it. Thanks again to everyone and enjoy this more solemn chapter. XD

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**I: Ice**

"…damn it." Yosho huffed with aggravation as he accidently spilt a little of his beer on the porch deck as he went to sit down. His hair was messy and unkept while his eyes were red and bloodshot; giving him a savage look that kept people away. With a weary grunt, the older man shifted in his wooden chair before he found a comfortable position to be in. Around the chair were several other bottles of beer, but all of them had already been consumed. The sun was hidden by the clouds, but Yosho was glad for that for otherwise it would burn is already sensitive eyes.

Yosho was no fool. He knew about his daughter's relationship with a certain hero and she had been honest with him about it. He still couldn't believe they had hit the three year mark for their relationship, but Yosho was sure it wouldn't last. He wouldn't allow it to last if it got too far, but that didn't seem to be a problem. The older man would study Holly and her so-called boyfriend whenever he had the chance and he couldn't help but find them unusual. They had been dating for years, yet they still acted like a new couple most of the time. Their kisses were quick and sweet, it would take a little while of hesitating before they would hold hands from nerves, and they still would blush madly if the other said anything that could even be taken lightly as perverted. It made Yosho sick.

For him, it was all a waiting game. He felt Holly would come to her senses at some point, though in his mind, hopefully before she threw her life away by being with Genki. There was no doubt Yosho respected Genki for saving the world and rescuing him from Moo's possession. He would prefer to respect him from afar and not have him weasel his way into his family, however. How ironic; the very boy who had defeated him could become his son-in-law? He couldn't allow that. No; he _wouldn't _allow that.

"Father?"

Yosho's attention was adverted as he turned to face his daughter, a look of weariness and worry written on her face. With a grunt, the older man took another swig of his drink before glancing over to his daughter and scowling slightly. "Whadda ya want?" Yosho slurred.

"Father, it's time to go to bed." Holly spoke softly as she extended her arm for the man to take.

"I can get up myself, ya know." Yosho said with a hiccup and even though he protested, Holly still helped him to his feet and allowed him to lean on her for support all the while taking the beer from his hands and tossing the bottle on their lawn. It didn't matter that he was angry; he wouldn't remember it in the morning anyways.

"I know you could, father. I'm here for you, though." The young woman said with a genuine smile, though her heart fell slightly when her father snorted at her comment.

"That beer was almost full, Holly! That's wastin' good beer… And you're just waitin' for me to die so you can take off with my money and elope with that boy." Yosho said, his voice cold like ice, before belching loudly; the stench of stale alcohol filling Holly's senses and almost causing her to vomit.

"You know that's not true, father. Don't say such things." Holly spoke softly; her voice laced with hurt and desperation.

"Sure… I'm not dyin' anyways, so you'll have to wait awhile unless you wanna kill me yourself. But no… you're too sweet for that. Will that boy come to kill me for my money? I don't have much." Yosho slurred while Holly did her best to guide the unstable man up the stairs of their home and into his room where he then plopped down on the bed with a grunt.

"Genki would never do anything to hurt you, father. He really wants to be on good terms with you and to bond with you. If you'd just give him a chance you'll see what a great man he's become." Holly stated as she helped her father take off his worn boots before helping the drunken man lay properly on his bed.

"That boy is countin' the days until I die so he can have my house. I won't let him have it! As long as you're my daughter, he won't have you, either! You fool around with him now, but it won't last, Holly. It never does."

"He doesn't want you to _die_, father. I don't know where you keep getting that idea from, but I think it's the alcohol talking because you never talk like this when you're sober. Now, go to sleep." Holly spoke softly.

"…wake me up in two hours, okay?" Yosho grumbled.

"Sure, I can do that." The brunette replied, though she had no intentions of waking him up. He would need all the sleep he could get to fight off the incoming hangover the surely awaited him like usual. As she went to bring up the blankets, her father growled slightly as his tired eyes glanced up at her.

"I don't need to be tucked in like a damn toddler…" Yosho snapped, but within moments his heavy eyes shut and his breathing became steady. With a tired sigh, Holly brought the blankets up and tucked her father in anyways before giving him a feather light kiss on the forehead and leaving the room silently; her father not even hearing her go. It was like this almost every day, but they never seemed to have any progress or even degradation. It was always at a standstill; one that seemed to have no end. As Holly forced herself to descend the stairs and to leave the house to go pick up all the empty beer bottles, a worn smile graced her lips when she saw Genki standing on the porch with a small container in his hands.

"Oh! Genki! I'm sorry; I wasn't expecting you to come here so things are a bit of a mess." Holly said with an embarrassed look at the beer bottles laying strewn about the porch and lawn.

"You know this never bothers me. Here; I'll help clean up." Genki smiled as he put the container down before getting on his knees and grabbing a few of the empty bottles.

"You really don't have to keep helping me clean up like this. This is the third time this week you've come around to help and it doesn't feel right." The young woman frowned as she glanced over to her boyfriend with a look of sympathy.

"Ah, I don't mind a bit. Besides, it's time spent with you so I enjoy it." Genki said with a playful wink to his girlfriend before he grabbed one last bottle and placed them in a garbage can. "There; that was no sweat."

"Thank you, Genki. You're the best." Holly giggled lightly as she trotted to the man's side before hugging him tightly and leaning up to give him a soft kiss on the cheek.

"If I get this every time I help you out, then I'll even clean the toilets." Genki replied with a wryly grin.

"I'll remember that." Holly giggled, but her eyes caught sight of the container on the porch Genki had brought and she gave the young man a quizzical look. "What's in the container anyways? Or is it one of those times I shouldn't ask?"

"For once, I brought something that won't leap out and attack you. It's actually just some broth and noodles. I saw your father at the market today and I saw the bottle in his hand. I knew he would have a hangover tomorrow so I thought this might make him, you know, feel better or something." Genki replied with a bashful shrug of his shoulders. "He probably still thinks I'm trying to kill him like every other time he's drunk, so it may not be a good idea to tell him I made it or he might think I'm trying to poison him again like last time."

"Oh, Genki, thank you so much! That was really kind of you." Holly praised with a loving smile as she hugged him tightly again while sighing softly. "After the last time he threw the soup bowl at you and nailed you in the head, I'm surprised you did this again."

"Ah, what's a concussion between future family members?" Genki joked with a laugh, but his eyes widened in horror as he replayed his sentence in his head.

"…future family members?" Holly spoke up with a blush as she glanced up at her boyfriend with a hopeful look.

"Uh… so! Let's get this soup inside and I'll treat you to dinner!" Genki stated quickly as he grabbed the container and bolted inside to both put the soup away and to escape the awkward atmosphere that had formed.

"Um, okay…" The young woman replied softly, though the blush on her face never faded.

"Okay! Let's head out!" Genki announced as he beat feet out of the house before grabbing Holly's hand and just about dragging her toward town. They weren't the only ones soaking up the moment, however.

"…you will _never_ be a part of my family." Yosho spoke hoarsely with a cold glare emiting from his eyes as he looked out from the window while watching the young couple running happily toward town; completely unaware they were being watched the entire time.

* * *

><p>Yup, Yosho still doesn't approve. Of course, Ice comes from Yosho's feelings for his daughter's relationship. I really can understand it, though. If I had a daughter and a guy from another universe appeared and wanted to date her, I don't care if he saved the world or not, I'd be suspicious and nervous as heck. Yosho is doing it for more selfish reasons; family imageself image, but still, I'd be worried too. Genki still tries to help him out even if Yosho doesn't know it. He's so cute. XD Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	10. J: Jewels

I know I said I wouldn't do another chapter for this story until I had the next DotH chapter out, but I needed a quick breather from physics. XD Sorry guys!

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**J: Jewels**

"Would you rather have spinach, broccoli, or carro-"

"Broccoli!"

"…but you didn't let me finish. I thought I'd pick up some carrots since you seem to like them so much and-"

"No, no! Really! I'm _really _in the mood for broccoli."

"Um… okay…"

Genki sighed with relief as his girlfriend put the orange roots down and grabbed a few large pieces of broccoli instead, though not before raising her eyebrow and giving him a skeptical look. He had to admit, lying about his hate for carrots all those years ago was one of the biggest things that continued to come back to bite him in the ass even after all the time that had passed by. After dating for so many years, he couldn't help but congratulate himself for hiding his distaste for the odd vegetable from Holly for such a long time. For the past few months, though, part of him had the feeling she was beginning to catch on to the charade. For now, however, the young couple put the carrot issue behind them as they strode through the Toriyama market place for groceries all the while browsing other market stalls that had been set up.

"Wow, look at that sword! It reminds me of Durahan." Holly spoke with a smile as her gaze shifted to that of a giant shimmering sword that was leaning up sturdily against one of the buying tables.

"Now that you mention it, it does remind me of Durahan!" Genki replied with a wryly smile. "Makes me wonder what he's been up to."

"Yes, I haven't seen him in almost a year. He did promise he'd swing by for Toriyama's fighting competition that's in a month, though. If he does come, that means he'll be up against Tiger and Hare." The young woman noted as she shifted slightly closer to her boyfriend as the crowd of people pushed and shoved to view all the buying stands as if their very lives depended on it.

"True. I can't wait to see that." Genki said while he glared at a man who had bumped into Holly without even glancing at her. "Sheesh, it's getting busy here. Want to head up to the western shops? I'm sure it's not as busy as these eastern shops."

"That sounds like a good idea. All these people crowded around like this are making me uncomfortable." Holly admitted as she linked hands with Genki to ensure they wouldn't get separated. With a nod of agreement, the couple gripped each other's hands tightly as they weaved and dodged through the mass of people in an attempt to escape the oncoming chaos. Much to their relief, Genki's intuition was correct and the western shops were far less populated at the moment.

"We're lucky we got most of what we needed before the mob came. So, what else do we need for food?" Genki asked as he held up one of the bags of groceries to make sure nothing had been damaged from the crowd. After a moment of silence, Genki felt his curiosity peak as he glanced down at Holly, whom seemed to be deeply focused on something. With a slight pang of worry at her sudden nonresponsive nature, the young man slowly extended his hand in front of Holly's face before waving it around in hopes of getting her attention. "Uh, Holly? You okay?"

After a moment, Holly seemed to jump out of her trance before she turned to Genki with a blush of embarrassment on her face as she let out a nervous chuckle. "Oh! I'm okay, really! I was just spacing out, is all."

"You sure? What were you thinking about?" The young man asked curiously.

"Actually, I was looking at that stand over there." Holly said as she pointed her slender hand over at a stand that was vacant from any shoppers. The stand itself seemed to glimmer and shine, making it stand out from all the other tables. With a glance to one another, the duo strode over to the stand to get a better look at what the shimmering was coming from. When they got close enough, Genki could hear Holly let out a small gasp at the sight before them.

Jewels.

Hundreds upon hundreds of jewels were spread across the surface of the table and the rays of the sun caused them to almost glow. From small red rubies to large blue sapphires, the stand was littered with precious treasures that would make even Captain Horn's treasure look like petty trinkets. As Genki just stood holding the grocery bags, Holly slowly began to scan the table with awe and admiration.

"These are amazing!" Holly exclaimed with a grin.

"You think so, huh? All of these came from a pirate's treasure! Professor Garnish is selling most of the small jewels he's found, so that's why they're here." A purebred Ape spoke with a smile as he stood behind the table.

"Professor Garnish? Wait, isn't he the Kato hybrid we met and used his submarine to get back the Mystery Disk?" Genki asked Holly with a puzzled look.

"Yes. It looks like fortune finally fell his way." Holly spoke with a soft giggle before she began to rummage through the mass of jewels like a curious child on Christmas day. "There are so many of them!"

"I never knew you were into jewels and stuff like that." Genki spoke up with surprise.

"That's because we never have time or money to look at this kind of stuff. When we were on our journey I was too preoccupied to even think of fancy things." The young woman replied with a shrug of her shoulders.

"What is it with girls and jewels?" Genki asked with a raised eyebrow.

"We just like them. What is it with guys and bacon?" Holly retorted with a playful smile.

"Well, bacon tastes awesome. Jewels don't really do anything." The young man replied. "And you like bacon, too, so that doesn't count!"

"Some guys like jewels, too!"

"Pffft! Hahaha! Like which ones?"

"Hare does!"

"That's only because he likes them for the value of selling them!"

"Well, I'm sure there are plenty of guys who can appreciate the wonder of jewels."

"Yeah, right."

"Watch; I know you'll like them, too, if you just look at them!" Holly exclaimed as she grabbed a handful of the precious minerals before cupping them gently in her hands, all while managing to keep full eye contact with Genki. With a determined look, the brunette woman brought the jewels close to her body to ensue she wouldn't drop any of them before looking at the materials in her hands. "See? Aren't they pretty?"

Genki, however, wasn't looking at the jewels in Holly's hands. His eyes were too focused on Holly's face as she continued to examine the natural minerals in her hands. The sparkle from the jewels reflected in her warm brown eyes; making them look even more innocent than usual. Her hair had several small highlights from the jewels' reflection and her cheeks were flushed slightly red from the excitement of seeing such wondrous treasures. The sun's rays acted like a beacon as it hit the jewels' surfaces; causing a mass of colors to glitter and dance across the young woman's body like stained glass. Her face seemed so fragile, yet elegant under the piercing shine that she almost looked holy; the whole scene causing Genki's heart to skip a beat and for his stomach to become plagued with butterflies. He was snapped out of his trance, however, when Holly's gentle voice shattered the silence between them.

"So, what do you think?"

"…beautiful…" Genki trailed off quietly while still staring intently at Holly's face; the words he felt and wanted to speak were long out of his reach so that one word was all he could muster.

"But… you haven't even looked at them yet." Holly replied with puzzlement as her eyebrow rose; the whole time his gaze had never gone down to see the jewels. With a blush, Genki averted his gaze quickly before fidgeting nervously and laughing it off.

"I'm, uh, just not in the mood to look at that kind of stuff today, okay? Let's go look at the baker's stand!" The young man spoke with a wryly smile as he waved it off in an attemp to change the focus point of their conversation.

"Um, okay…" Holly replied with a skeptical look before she put the jewels back and looked over at her boyfriend once more. His response to looking at the jewels had thrown her off since she had expected him to not want to look, but it didn't explain why he had said they were beautiful. _'That was kind of weird, even for Genki… If he wanted to lie all he had to do was take a quick glance at the jewels and say that; it was weird that he didn't even bother to look down. He seemed so genuine when he said that, though… I don't get it. The whole time all he was doing was…'_

Holly's eyes widened as she watched Genki looking around anxiously while waiting for Holly to join him so they could go look at the bread selection. He still held tightly onto the shopping bags while pretending to be interested at the clouds in the sky, but Holly would catch him glancing at her with a look at wasn't one of annoyance, but that of adoration. With a smile of realization, Holly felt her mind finish her train on thought as she quickly made her way to Genki's side. _'…all he was doing was looking at me. He wasn't referring to the jewels when he said that. He really meant… me.'_

"So, what kind of bread do you want?" Genki asked his girlfriend with a smile.

"Actually, I was hoping you'd pick it out tonight." Holly replied before she hooked arms with the young man and intertwined their fingers. "…oh, and Genki?"

"Yeah?"

"…you're so sweet."

Genki blinked in confusion at the young woman who was snuggled up close to his side, but he didn't question it as they made a turn to head back to the eastern shops, but not before both young adults turned to glance back at the jewel selling stand; both of them harboring different memories that stemmed from the same moment.

* * *

><p>Randomness! XD And yes; bacon is amazing. :D If you can't remember, Professor Garnish is the KatoGali hybrid that has a submarine in the third season. I love that episode. :D They spell it Garnish, but in the games it's actually "Gordish". Just some trivia, I guess. XD

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	11. K: Kind

Sorry for another one of these chapters, but I had an hour of spare time before one of my biology labs so I didn't have enough time to work on the next DotH chapter, but I had enough to toss out a chapter of MWS. Again, thanks for the reviews! I do want to finish this story in a year's time and at the rate it's going, that may just be possible. Enjoy!

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**K: Kind**

With the sun beating down heavily, Genki smiled happily while he used a soft cloth to wipe away some sweat and grit from his warm forehead before looking up to see what had been pulled off from a little hard work and determination. Hare's home, which had only hours before been a wreck from a sudden hurricane, was now beautifully patched up and looked even better than it had before. The other rebels let out a cheer at the sight of the final product, and this made Genki feel even more proud of their work. It hadn't been an easy task by any means, but just like always, the famous Searchers had once again pulled off another miracle with teamwork. The roof was flawless, the windows were no longer shattered, the door was back on its hinges, and the walls were no longer caving in.

"Phew, great work guys!" Genki praised with a grin.

"Yeah, you guys really outdid yourselves! Thank you so much!" Hare gratefully announced.

"Of course… We will help… anytime…" Golem stated with a warm smile.

"Your place looks really nice. Try not to let it get destroyed again." Suezo spoke with a playful nod.

"I'll do my best." The rabbit monster replied with a chuckle.

"That's not saying much." Tiger stated with a roll of his eyes.

"Says who? The filthy canine?"

"I'm only dirty because I helped fix _your _house, rabbit!"

"You live here too, mutt!"

"No fighting, chi! We should be celebrating, not fighting, chi! Right, Holly?" Mocchi said as he got in between the two monsters before a real fight could break out while turning to the lone female of the group. When he received no reply, however, the young monster's forehead creased slightly as he looked expectantly at the young woman. "Holly, chi?"

After a moment of silence, a soft moan exited Holly's lips as she brought her hand up to her forehead before her legs buckled and her body swayed over to involuntarily lean up against Genki's side. Before she could completely fall over, Genki quickly wrapped his arms around her waist to steady her while concern washed over the entire group.

"Holly! Can you hear me?" Genki asked with worry as he looked down at the young woman with absolute concern.

"Yeah, chi! Are you okay?" Mocchi spoke up with a frown as he watched Holly shake the feeling off before giving the group a tired, yet reassuring smile.

"I… I'm okay, guys. Really. I just felt a bit light-headed there for a minute. It must be from being in the sun for too long. Really, I'm okay." Holly assured the group as she slowly took a step away from Genki to show she could stand on her own, though Genki still kept a hold on her arm.

"You need to sit down and we'll get you something to eat and drink." Hare said sternly; showing that he wasn't asking her to do so, but telling her.

"I agree. You need to take it easy. Working for such a long time affects humans quicker than monsters. We shouldn't have had you work for such a long period of time without any breaks." Tiger spoke with a frown.

"Hey, but Genki's a human, too, chi! Why isn't he tired?" Mocchi asked with a look of puzzlement.

"Because we have our doubts whether or not Genki is really a human or not." Suezo answered with a roll of his eye.

"Hey!" Genki pouted slightly.

"Back to the situation at hand here… Genki, take Holly inside and get her seated. Tiger, go to the well and bring up some fresh water. Suezo, go to the market place with Mocchi and both of you get citrus fruits for nutrients. Golem, you start cooking up some lunch and I'll go prepare a cool bath to drop Holly's temperature a bit." Hare planned out while all but one of the other rebels nodded in agreement.

"Hare, I'm fine! You guys don't need to do this!" Holly exclaimed with a flustered expression from being the focus point of everyone's attention. "All I need is to sit down for a moment and then I'll be good to go."

"Don't worry about a thing, Holly! You're in good hands!" Hare replied without hearing the young woman out before he turned to the other rebels and nodded with determination. With that, the group split off to go do what they needed while Genki guided a reluctant Holly into the fixed house. With a look that still held concern, Genki gently brought Holly over to the couch before sitting her down and taking a seat next to her.

"That's better, right?" Genki asked with a smile.

"…sure." Holly replied with a scowl.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, but I didn't want this to turn into a big production! I feel much better after just sitting for a few moments. I don't need people fetching me water and cooking me meals. It makes me feel… I don't know… helpless. Especially because it's unnecessary." Holly replied with a soft sigh.

"…we know that you're okay, but truthfully we like doing this kind of stuff for you."

"Why?"

"You're always helping us by doing just about everything, so when you don't feel well everyone tries hard to pitch in to make you feel better because all of us love you, Holly. I know it's a little over the top, but everyone wants to do their part in helping you feel better even if it's just getting you water or getting you some fruit." Genki replied with a soft smile. "Or even if it's just guiding you to the couch and talking with you."

Holly blinked in surprise at her boyfriend's simple, yet meaningful way of putting things and she felt a smile cross her lips. They were famous Searchers, anti-Moo rebels, and all around world heroes. They defeated countless Baddies, faced off with the Big Bad Four, fought General Durahan, and had gone face-to-face with Moo; the most evil creature the world had ever seen. They were the strongest of the strong and the bravest of the brave. Yet, there they were, heroes of the world fetching a pail of water and cooking lunch. They could have done anything they so desired in their lives, yet they chose instead to remain as simple beings living a normal life. They could have become kings, yet there they were, scrambling around to see that Holly was okay.

"…I guess I see what you mean. Still, it makes me feel guilty." Holly spoke softly.

"Don't feel that way. You're the center of this whole group and if something happens to you, it effects everyone a lot. If any of us had felt light-headed, you would done everything we're doing for you right now except you would have done it all by yourself. You can't argue there." Genki said with a tone of amusement.

"I suppose so." Holly giggled gently before she let out a small yawn and laid her weary head down on Genki's lap; hence causing the young man to blush at the sudden action. After the surprise wore off, Genki smiled as he tucked a few stray hairs behind Holly's ear before stroking her head softly while she closed her eyes and let out a content sigh.

"Feeling better?" Genki asked with a knowing smile.

"…much better." The young woman mumbled quietly; her smile still ever present. "If this is the treatment I get for a little light-headedness, I can only imagine how I'll be treated if I ever get really sick."

"If you suddenly get really sick tomorrow, I'll know it's a trick to get special treatment!" Genki chuckled softly and Holly was quick to join in with a few giggles of her own.

"…hey, Genki?"

"Hm? Yeah?"

"Do you think we'll ever have a house like this? I was just thinking about it when we were fixing it earlier." Holly spoke with a serene tone while her eyes shone with a bashful nature.

"U-us, a h-house? Y-you mean, like, u-us living t-together?" Genki stuttered nervously at the sudden thought of it.

"Oh! I don't mean us getting a house together right now! I mean, we're not even married!" Holly exclaimed with a blush flushing her cheeks red.

"_M-married?_"

"Oh, Phoenix! I didn't mean we should get married! Or, I mean, not that I don't _want_ us to get married or anything! Um, I don't mean that we should get married right now either! Or that you even want to get married! Um, what I mean is, uh… Oh, Phoenix." Holly rambled quickly; the words she wanted to speak were far too tangled and jumbled to say. The room filled with an uncomfortable silence; both young adults too embarrassed and nervous to speak up to break its unnatural hold. Genki's job was to have Holly seated and to talk with her so she would feel better, though this topic wasn't one that he had expected by any means. After several more minutes past, Holly felt her heart pound as she heard Genki nervously clear his throat before looking down at her.

"Well, uh… if we did get a house, where would you want it? I mean, hypothetically speaking, of course." Genki asked suddenly with curiosity and he felt his nerves relax when a smile broke out upon Holly's lips.

"I would love to stay near Toriyama, if we could, so we could live near our friends and my father. I would love a small flower garden, too!" Holly exclaimed with a giddy feeling pulsing through her body. "What about you?"

"I'd like to stay close to Toriyama, too, if not actually living in the town. And, well, I think a flower garden would be a nice touch, too." Genki spoke with a wryly grin; one in which Holly was quick to match.

"Hey! We got some fruit!"

Suezo's voice cut through the air and Holly was quick to lift her head to see her closest friend hop through the door with several oranges in a bag. Mocchi was close by as he stormed in with a couple pomegranates in his arms and a smile plastered on his face. As the young monster was busy putting the fruit down and counting them to ensure he didn't lose any on the way back to the home, Suezo unloaded the oranges from the bag before beginning to peel one of them for the young woman.

"How are you feeling, Holly?" Suezo asked with a glance to Holly before he went back to peeling the orange colored fruit.

"Actually, I feel wonderful." Holly replied with a bashful smile as she nervously looked down at her lap while playing timidly with the end of her vest. All thoughts about what had been said between her and Genki only moments earlier continued to race in her head, and she couldn't stop the smile from forming on her lips.

"That's a relief. Here, eat this. It's full of vitamins that are good for you." Suezo spoke as he placed the peeled fruit in Holly's hands while Mocchi placed a cut open pomegranate in her other hand.

"Eat this too, chi! It's good!" Mocchi exclaimed giddily.

"Thank you guys!" Holly smiled warmly at her friends' gestures. Before Suezo could reply, Tiger marched in with a pail of fresh water clenched in his powerful jaws. With a glance to Holly, the wolf monster took off into the kitchen before coming back in with a glass of water and placing the cup on the floor near Holly.

"Drink this so you don't dehydrate." Tiger spoke sternly, though the concern was not lost to the others.

"Thank you, Tiger. I appreciate it." The young woman replied with one of her trademark white smiles; causing the wolf monster to blush slightly under her gaze.

"Awww, is the big bad wolf proud of his pail of water? How cute!" Hare cooed jokingly from on top of the staircase. "Is that a blush I see? Awww!"

"Grrr…! Shut up, fur ball!"

"Oooh! Temper, temper!"

"Watch it, rabbit!"

"What is it that you want, Hare?" Genki piped up to end the oncoming fight.

"I just wanted to let Holly know that the cool bath for her is ready when she is, is all." Hare answered with a wink.

"And lunch… is almost… ready…" Golem spoke slowly as he took a step out from his place in the kitchen.

"You guys… Thank you for everything. You didn't really have to go through all this trouble, but it was very kind of you." Holly thanked with a genuine smile as she looked around at all of her closest friends. They were the heroes who had defeated Moo, but that didn't change the good in their hearts. They were still as close as ever and nothing would stop them from helping one another when they needed it.

"Anytime, Holly. Anytime…"

* * *

><p>This one was a boring chapter that didn't add much to the story, but part of it does give a slight hint to a future chapter that's to come. :D Have a great Thanksgiving, everyone!<p>

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	12. L: Letters

Sorry, this is just another really random one-shot that came into my mind. XD This will be the last happy chapter for a while, which is why I did it! XD And my internet is still being annoying! I never knew I could hate the internet so much until November! XP

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**L: Letters**

"Hey, that cloud looks like a Dragon!"

"…what the heck are you talking about?"

"Look! That one! See how it looks like it has a long neck and wings?"

"It looks more like a Zuum."

"What? No! It's a Dragon!"

"No way! It's a Zuum!"

"Dragon!"

"Zuum!"

Genki chuckled softly to himself as he watched Hare and Tiger once again begin to argue about something completely irrelevant. The sky was beautiful and clear while the wind was gentle and soothing. It would have been a sin to stay indoors on such a lovely day, and so the group of rebels packed up some food and headed off to the outskirts of town to have a simple picnic. The young man felt his grin grow further as he looked down to catch the gaze of a young woman whose head was rested snugly in his lap. Unlike the rest of the rebels who only ate the picnic food, Holly had been up early preparing everything for their day out. Although a bit tired, she was still enjoying just relaxing in the fresh air and with being around the people she cared for the most.

"Holly, do you want anything to drink?" Genki asked the brunette.

"I'm okay, thank you. I'm just enjoying the moment," Holly replied with a tired smile as she looked up at Genki with sincere and gentle eyes.

"Hey guys! How about we go to the casino tonight?" Hare suddenly piped up with a large grin.

"Why would anyone here want to waste their money at a shady place like that?" Tiger scowled.

"Well, I just happened to be walking through town today and a fortune teller told me I'd have good luck!"

"So you're going to bet your money because of something a complete stranger told you?"

"Fortune tellers sometimes are real! We could strike it rich!"

"Or you could be wasting your money away. Are you crazy?"

"No! I have a gut feeling about this! Fortune tellers are right about tons of stuff," Hare replied with a glance over to the rest of the rebels as he crossed his furry arms over his chest. "I kind of like thinking that some people can just tell how fate will turn out. It's always interesting to see if they're right or not."

"I suppose. In my world, there were all kinds of fortune tellers like people who read palms and tarot cards. It's neat stuff, though I never tried it for myself," Genki said with a shrug of his shoulders. "What does this world do to see the future?"

"Well, in this world there are lots of ways soothsayers can see the future like telling fortunes using bones and even seeing a future prediction using the first letters of peoples' names," the rabbit monster spoke with a wryly smile.

"I've heard of the bones thing before, but using the letters of peoples' names? How does that work?" Genki asked with a raised eyebrow and a curious expression.

"Yeah, I've never heard of that either," Suezo spoke up with a skeptical glance.

"Really? Well, you and Holly_ did_ grow up in a secluded village so that doesn't surprise me," Hare replied while he readjusted his red scarf.

"Actually, I've heard of this form of future seeing myself," Tiger spoke up softly from his seat next to Mocchi.

"Really? Then what… is it…?" Golem asked up with curiosity; his years of living alone leaving him unused to city cultures.

"They say that if the first letter of your name matches up with someone else's, then you're more likely to fall in love and marry. It's just superstition," the wolf monster explained briefly. "This method isn't as poular as it once was."

"…Pfft! Hahaha!" Hare laughed suddenly while the other rebels looked at the rabbit monster in confusion.

"What's so funny?" Tiger growled.

"Hahaha! You and Techno Dragon!"

"…huh?"

"That letter myth! Techno Dragon and Tiger have the same first letter, so they're meant to fall in love! Hahaha! I always knew you had interesting taste!" Hare choked out while holding his stomach from laughter, his eyes closed tightly as he let out another series of laughs. "It does explain alot!"

"_What?_ No way! You're a sicko!" Tiger shouted in horror at the implication.

"How about… Tiger… and Tama…?" Golem spoke up in a calm voice.

"I guess that one isn't so bad…" Tiger mumbled softly.

"Hey guys! What about Mocchi and Monol?" Suezo piped up before laughing hysterically.

"No, chi! No way!" Mocchi squeaked up as his face flushed red from embarrassment.

"Or Mocchi and Melcarba?" Hare chided in with a chuckle.

"Stop, chi!"

"Mocchi and Matthew!" Suezo choked out as he wiped a tear from his eye from laughter.

"…who the heck is that?" Tiger asked.

"Some old guy we met a long time ago."

"Ah, gotcha…"

"No, chi! You guys are wrong!" Mocchi wined.

"Man, we have some good ones for you, Mocchi. Like Mocchi and Moo!" Hare grinned wildly as he slapped Mocchi on his shelled back, causing the young monster to stumble forward and almost lose his balance. "You're one smooth little guy, aren't you? So what's your secret to getting so many lovers?"

"Gross, chi!"

"Come on, guys. Leave him alone," Genki spoke up, though no one seemed to listen to him; leaving Genki to sigh before giving Holly a look of uncertainty.

"Mocchi and Most?" Tiger suddenly chided in.

"I always knew there was a reason you wanted to hang out with him so much! It went beyond rivalry, huh?" Hare winked playfully while a laugh threatened to spill from his lips. "I can only imagine what you guys really did at those training sessions…"

"It's not like that, chi! We're just friends!"

"Oooh! What about Mocchi and Mum Mew? We finally got a female to pair you up with!" Suezo laughed gleefully while Mocchi's face flushed several shades of red, his eyes darting back and forth from desperation and embarrassment.

"Okay, enough of Mocchi. What about Suezo and Salamander?" Hare changed the topic at seeing Mocchi so uncomfortable.

"Ewww, gross!"

"Come on, guys. Let's talk about something else instead of this," Holly tried to reason, but the others had different plans.

"Or Suezo and Sandy?" Tiger chuckled.

"Suezo and Stone Dragon?"

"Suezo and Shogun the Mighty?"

"No, Shogun would only be after Holly…" Tiger stated with a roll of his eyes while Holly's cheeks flushed red.

"Ooooh! I have one I actually agree with!" Suezo stated with a look of triumph. "Sandra, the taxi driver! What a babe!"

"…lucky…" Hare muttered with a sigh.

"What about Genki and Gaboo?" Tiger spoke up with a humored chuckle.

"Ew, gross! I can't believe you're going along with this, Tiger!" Genki replied with a nauseated scowl and an embarressed glance at the wolf monster; his normally good companion suddenly bringing him into the awkward topic.

"What can I say? It beats looking at clouds with Hare."

"Oh! What about Genki and Gali?" Suezo snickered.

"Or Genki and Gray Wolf?" Hare chided in with a sly look while Tiger growled dangerously.

"You leave my little brother out of this!"

"Sorry, but its fate!"

"Yeah, come on guys. Let's finish up lunch and head back home," Holly sighed, knowing too well that her words weren't heard.

"Genki and Gooji! Hahaha!" Suezo laughed merrily.

"Genki and Ghost!"

"You're twisted, Hare!" Genki exclaimed with a growl, though Holly quickly took his hand in her's to calm him down a little. "Well, what about Hare and Henger?"

"Ooh, you want to play that game, huh? I just realized that everything that goes with Genki also goes with Golem, so in the end we can pair up Genki and Golem, too! Hahahaha!" Hare burst out laughing while Genki and Golem looked at one another with looks of horror before each of them took a step away from each other.

"Okay then! What about Hare and Hopper?"

"Genki and Garnish?"

"Hare and Horn!"

"…that's another one that Horn would probably only be after Holly," Tiger spoke up with a chuckle.

"Genki and Gobi!"

"What about Hare and Holly, chi?" Mocchi piped up with a giggle while Holly shifted with discomfort from being dragged into the odd competition. Hare, on the other hand, was feeling rather proud of the young monster's input as he let out a low chuckle.

"Ah, I guess that's one I won't argue back on," the rabbit monster spoke up with a grin and a playful glance at Genki while the young man couldn't help but smile back while feeling proud that the mention of his girlfriend's name was one that everyone respected and adored.

"Or what about Genki and Granity, chi?" Mocchi blurted out with a laugh, although he was the only one who thought it was funny. Everyone else felt the color drain from their faces at the young monster's pairing and they literally felt their muscles tighten and for their bodies to physically wince, for that pairing was the one everyone had been purposely avoiding. No matter how good of friends they were, everyone knew Holly still found herself inferior to the Pixie hybrid and she often found herself questioning Genki as to why he chose her instead. The subject was a touchy one, to say the least, and everyone felt their hearts shatter as hurt shone in Holly's eyes even though it was clear that she was trying to hide it. Before Hare could speak up to try and smooth things over, though, everyone felt their heads turn in Genki's direction as he cleared his throat.

"You know what, guys? I'm happy that Holly and I don't have the same first letter because that would get confusing. I'm happy with how the alphabet is and where each letter is because…" Genki trailed off before he put his arm around Holly's shoulder and pulled her closer with a grin plastered on his face. "… G and H are right next to each other, as they should be."

"… you really mean that?" Holly asked with a hopeful gaze.

"Of course!" Genki grinned as Holly took in his words and snuggled a little closer to him; a bashful yet happy smile every present on her lips.

"…gees, when did you become so romantic?" Hare asked in surprise while the other rebels were thinking the same thing.

"Oh, I picked up a few things while I was wooing Gali," Genki replied with a wryly grin as Holly giggled cheerfully at her boyfriend's joke; the awkwardness from before long forgotten.

"Yeah, well, that still doesn't explain fate," Hare replied.

"Ah, I'm actually happier not trying to fight fate and just going with the flow. Besides, I don't like leaving my fate up to people who may or may not really be able to see the future," Genki stated with a shrug of his shoulders before turning to the rest of the group. "Alright, gang. Let's pack up and head back home."

Later in the day, once the picnic was cleaned up and the rebels had all gone home, Hare had, indeed, decided to go test out the fortune teller's prophecy of him having good luck. When he arrived back at the his home with empty pockets, however, he realized that maybe Genki had been right. Maybe, leaving fate up to other peoples' predictions wasn't the best route to take and that maybe, fate wasn't something you could rig or could fight. Maybe things are better left as they are, no matter how hard or unfair it is...

...right?

* * *

><p>Random! XD The ending of this chapter is also hinting a little at a future chapter. The whole future telling with letters was actually a true thing back when I was little. We all believed we'd marry someone with the same first letter as us. I have no idea how that first started up, though! XD I know I didn't put in everyone with the same first letters, but I didn't want this to drag on too much. Okay, here's a <em>warning<em>: the next few chapters are going to be more on the dramatic side and they will lead into a very tragic side of this story. The next chapter will be more cute/sad and the one after will be dramatic/sad/then happy, but after that, until letter V, there will probably only be one or two more happy chapters. The rest will be dramatic and even tragic. Just a warning, is all! I hope everyone had a good holiday and if I don't put out any new chapters first, have a Happy New Year!

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	13. M: Miss

Okay, here begins the part where these next few one-shots will be like a mini-series segment, mainly M through U. I've had the idea for this one and the next one since this story even started. XD

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**M: Miss**

Genki shifted slightly from his place in the doorway with a frown on his face and bitterness shining in his eyes. It was one of those rare days that Yosho was out and so Genki could actually be in Holly's home. Normally, that would be something to cheer about, but as the young man watched his girlfriend yanking clothes out from her closet, he felt his stomach drop. Even though Holly was struggling to collect a variety of her belongings, Genki found himself unable to offer any help. His feet stayed glued to the ground while his eyes stayed focused on the bags on Holly's bed, each of them brimming with clothing and food. Her eyes, each lined with tired bags under them, shone with the same emotions Genki's held as she turned to the young man and flashed him a sad, yet loving smile.

"It won't be long and before you know it, I'll be back," Holly spoke up, her tone laced with hesitation.

"…four months is a long time," Genki replied in a hollow tone.

"…I know."

The stairs creaked and moaned as the couple made their way down from the upstairs, their arms full of bags and necessities. Outside of the home was a large wooden cart with Centaur standing with the reigns in his hands and Suezo sitting in the front with a solemn look in his eyes. He often got in fights with his friends, but he never knew leaving them for such a long period of time would be so painful. It was true that after Moo's defeat they had all been separated and in that time he at least had Golem to travel with, but he had missed everyone dearly. With a sigh, the eyeball monster slowly hopped off from his perch before wordlessly taking the bags from Holly's arms and tossing them into the back of the cart followed by Genki, who mimicked his actions.

"So… everything's packed?" Suezo asked to break the silence.

"Yes, I think that's all we'll be needing," Holly replied softly.

"Don't worry; I'll deliver you safely to the FIMBA region where Captain Horn will be waiting at the docks to take you to Age Island," Centaur spoke up with a sad smile at seeing everyone so down. "I know this is difficult for everyone, but you're doing a wonderful thing, Miss Holly."

"Thank you, Centaur. I just hope everything will be okay."

After a sudden wave of natural disasters, Age Island had been almost completely wiped out of the monsters once living there. In an act of desperation, the locals had set out to contact Holly, whom was known for being able to locate Mystery Disks using a Magic Stone. Unable to deny their plea for help, Holly agreed to go to Age Island to help search for Mystery Disks in order to regain the balance. Although it was for a limited time, parting ways was a heart breaking thing for them.

"Make sure you're eating right while I'm gone, okay?" Holly said with a smile.

"Don't worry; I will," Genki replied with a sad chuckle.

"And could you check in every now and then on my father?"

"Of course, though he can't know that."

"Don't do anything dangerous, either."

"I'll try not to."

"And make sure to go to bed at a decent hour."

"I'll try to."

"Also, try not-"

"Holly! Don't worry, I'll be fine!"

"Just hear me out, okay?"

"…okay."

"…please, try not to forget about me, okay?"

Genki felt himself blink in surprise at Holly's words while the young woman shifted her gaze to the ground. She looked defeated, her hair being slightly messy while her skin was paler than usual. Her arms hung loosely at her sides while her legs wobbled slightly almost as if they were about to give out. When the young woman lifted her head to meet Genki's eyes, he felt his heart crumble at seeing the look of desperation and longing held within them.

"What do you mean by that?" Genki asked with a confused frown. "We've been dating for over 4 years now."

"It's just that… four months is a long time and a lot can happen. A new, beautiful girl could move into town and… well… you might forget me," Holly said with a saddened glance.

"Holly, I could never forget about you! Even if we were apart for years, I would never feel any less about you," Genki replied as he pulled the young woman into a tight hug; one in which she was quick to accept.

"Thank you, Genki… thank you…" Holly whispered as she buried her head into her boyfriend's firm chest.

"If you keep hugging me like this, I'll have to force you to stay," Genki joked in a feeble attempt to lighten the mood, though it seemed to work as Holly giggled softly before pulling away.

"I guess you're right. When I get back, I'll cook us a huge feast!" Holly announced with an impish smile as she climbed onto the cart with a helpful push from Genki while Suezo hopped back to the front of the cart and Centaur prepared to head out.

"I look forward to that!" Genki grinned, but he was caught off guard when the young woman quickly leaned down to catch his lips against her own. When the surprise wore off, the young hero felt his heart flutter before he kissed his girlfriend back while resisting the urge to pull her off the cart and make a mad dash away so she wouldn't have to leave. After several moments, the couple slowly broke apart from their blissful moment, the only things waiting for them being aching hearts and longing nights.

"When I come back, I'd like to do that again, too," Holly giggled bashfully as her cheeks flushed red.

"That's a coincidence, because I feel the same way," Genki grinned playfully.

Holly grinned down at her boyfriend, but as if suddenly realizing something, the young woman quickly extended her hand to behind her head until her trademark ponytail came undone in a slightly messy mass of hair. Before Genki could question her, Holly grabbed his arm before tying her red ribbon around his wrist and kissing the top of his hand.

"I'm leaving my hair ribbon with you as a way so you can remember me while I'm away," the young woman spoke with a sad smile, but she felt her eyes widen when she felt something warm being placed on her head. As the brunette slowly reached up to take a look, she felt her breath catch in her throat as she looked down at a worn orange hat in her hands.

"Don't you forget about me, either!" Genki exclaimed with a wryly smile. "And that hat will keep you safe."

"Oh, thank you, Genki! I'll make sure to keep your hat safe so when I return it to you, it will be just the same as it is today," Holly replied blissfully as she held the hat close to her chest; her heart pounding like a sledgehammer.

"Alright, Holly. We have to go before the sun sets!" Suezo called out to the brunette. "See you later, Genki! Make sure to keep the rest of the guys out of trouble!"

"I will! Have a safe trip, Suezo! I trust you'll keep Holly safe?" Genki replied with a grin.

"You bet!"

"Yes, we will both ensure Miss Holly's safe arrival and return," Centaur spoke up as he placed his spear in the cart and grabbed the reigns of the wooden transporter.

"Thank you," the young man smiled, knowing Holly was in good hands.

"Good bye, Genki," Holly spoke softly, her eyes shining with despair at having to part ways with the man she loved, but the orange hat in her hands caused her to stay strong knowing that he would be waiting for her when she returned. As she felt the cart jerk slightly from its beginning journey, the young woman felt her heart break as Genki waved weakly to her.

"Bye, Holly," Genki replied hoarsely while the cart began to roll away down the dirt road while beginning to pick up speed, the one he loved most getting farther and farther away from him as each second past. After the cart was almost completely out of sight, the young man bitterly shoved his hands in his pocket and kicked a rock in the road as he cursed at the unfairness of it all. After a moment, though, his eyes widened as he fished through one of his pockets before pulling out a small black box, inside resting a small diamond ring. It wasn't much due to his low salary, but the young man had worked extremely hard to earn enough to buy the small ring in his hands. With a gulp, the young man felt his head spin as he remembered what he was supposed to do and what he hadn't done; the anxiety and sadness of the timing causing him to forget.

"HOLLY! WAIT!" Genki shouted as he tore after the cart like a madman, the wind whipping into his sides and his lungs working as fast as possible. The cart, however, seemed to go farther away no matter how fast the young man's legs were taking him. With the cart being too far away for anyone to hear the young man's voice, it only continued to go until it disappeared into the horizon, leaving Genki to slump to his knees and allow his lungs to take in some much needed air.

"…Holly… will you… marry me…?" Genki wheezed out quietly, though the only response he received was the wind howling around him, as if it was laughing at his misfortune.

* * *

><p>Aw, I thought the end was kind of adorably sad. XD So yeah! The title "Miss" wasn't actually about Holly and Genki missing each other; it was about Genki missing his chance to propose to Holly. This was a pretty short one. Oh! The FIMBA region is where the first Monster Rancher game takes place and Age Island is where Monster Rancher Advance 2 takes place; both games in which Holly is your assistant, which is why I chose them. Just a shout out, is all! XD Also, if Centaur was my friend, I'd have him pull carts around for me, too! He'd be so handy! XD Thanks for reading!<p>

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	14. N: Night

Next part, here I come! XD Sorry these past few chapters have been so short. I don't want them to go above 3,000 words, though, so I have to cut things out sometimes. XP I've been on a roll lately due to having free time during my lunch break. :D And _ripitupgenki_ is so wonderful for reviewing all these chapters! Thank you so much, Ripit! It means so much to me! ^o^ I hope you enjoy this! ^_^

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**N: Night**

"…Genki?"

"Hm? Yeah, Holly?"

"I don't mean to sound rude, but where are we going so late at night?"

Genki smiled as he watched Holly's eyes dance with curiosity and excitement as the couple strolled through the dark streets of a night lit Toriyama. A small layer of snow coated the streets and the couple's breath was visible as it met with the surrounding cold air. The streets were empty besides the young couple, mostly due to people not wanting to be out in the cold weather. The moon was full and beautiful while the stars twinkled elegantly in the night sky like little fireflies; the beams of light occasionally glimmering off Holly's face and causing Genki to become nervous with every step they took. He couldn't believe how slow four months could go by, but he never felt happier to see Holly when she hopped off the cart and flung herself into his arms. He never wanted to let her go ever again, no matter how selfish it sounded.

"You don't like taking casual walks at night?" Genki asked playfully, knowing full well that wasn't the case.

"It's not that, really. I do enjoy them. It's just, this was so sudden of a plan and you actually came to _my_ house to ask me out. What if my father had seen you?" Holly asked with a curious frown as shook some snow off the tip of her boot before trotting quickly to fall back in pace with her boyfriend.

"I would have pulled him into a hug and shouted 'I love you!' so the whole world could hear me!" Genki replied with a chuckle while Holly puffed up her cheeks and playfully hit the young man's arm.

"If you did that, he'd probably try to kill you!"

"Wouldn't it make for a great story, though?"

"Not if you were dead!"

"Hahaha! True! I wouldn't do that, anyways, since I really don't want to press my luck," the young man grinned as Holly shook her head before grabbing onto his arm and snuggling up close to his side like a tired cat. "Are you cold?"

"A little bit, but I'm more curious to know where we're going!" Holly replied with an impish smile, the heat coming from Genki's form filling her body with warmth and security.

"Don't worry; we're almost at our first destination," Genki spoke with a wryly smile as a sign to a fancy restaurant slowly began to come into view. Back in his world, Genki had seen enough romance movies to see women seemed to like going out to dinner. To him, it was probably because they didn't have to cook for a change and because the man paid for the meal, but he would play it safe and go with the classics. Before the couple could walk any further, however, Genki felt his legs stop moving when Holly stopped and placed a hand over her mouth.

"Oh, Genki! Look!" Holly exclaimed in worry as the visible form of a purebred Hopper lay motionlessly in the cold snow at the end of an alley. With maternal speed only women possess, the young woman broke away from her grip on Genki's arm and tore down the alley before kneeling at the Hopper's side to check on the small lemur monster, fear etched in her features.

"Is it alright?" Genki asked with concern as he slowly began to make his way into the alley as well.

"I… I don't know. I don't see any injuries on it, but it's not moving, either," Holly replied with a frown, but she felt her body go ridged as a large hand came from behind in the shadows and grabbed her by her ponytail before yanking her up; a shocked and pain laced scream emitting from her mouth until another large hand appeared from the shadows with a large dagger pressed up against her throat.

"HOLLY!" Genki shouted in horror as he watched a large gruff man linger out from the shadows with Holly in his grasp; the dagger's blade pressed up firmly against the tender flesh of the young woman's neck. "YOU LET HER GO!"

"I don't think you're in any position to be making any demands of me, boy," the older man chuckled hoarsely while the Hopper rose up from his spot and grinned. "You did well, Hopper. Women always fall for these kinds of traps."

"What do you want from us? I'll give you anything, just please don't hurt her," Genki pleaded, his fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles were white and his palms were beginning to sweat. The glimmer from the dagger's blade seemed to almost taunt the young man and Genki could feel the color draining from his face.

"What do I want? _Money_, of course," the man sneered while the Hopper nodded his head in agreement. "And anything else you have on you that's worth something."

"…don't, Genki…" Holly whispered softly, though she yelped as the dagger was pressed harder against her neck. The metal was cold and intimidating, and she couldn't help but wince as a small droplet of blood ran down her neck and into the top of her wool coat.

"I'm not playing games here, girlie, so keep you damn mouth shut," the man growled as his piercing eyes bore down into Holly's pure ones; the entire scene being one of the most horrific moments in Genki's life.

"H-here, take it!" Genki exclaimed as he dug through his pockets in a desperate attempt to find anything that could end this nightmare. He normally didn't carry much of anything with him, but he had the money that was supposed to be for the dinner in a small pouch. With one last glance down at the pouch of gold coins, Genki tossed it at the man's feet, where the Hopper was quick to pick it up and look through it.

"Yup! Some golds! Some golds!" The Hopper cheered merrily at the prize.

"Empty the rest of your pockets, as well," the man sneered while keeping a close eye at the hostage in his arms.

"Alright, just please don't do anything rash," Genki gulp with a defeated frown as he dug through his pockets until his fingers met with something hard and smooth. As the mugger watched with anticipation and Holly with fear, the young man slowly pulled out a small black box from his pocket. That cursed little black box. That beautiful little black box.

"Well, what do we have here? Toss it here," the man commanded.

"…alright," Genki breathed slowly as he looked down one last time at the object in his hands. That small black box held his future and it held the symbol of the most important step he would ever take in his life. With a bitter intake of air, Genki tossed the box next to the Hopper who was quick to snatch it up; his gaze falling to the dirty snow beneath his feet. And just like that, he tossed his future away.

"Well played, boy. I think I'm done here tonight. I can't have you following me, though," the man spoke gruffly as he nodded to his Hopper companion.

"Jump Blow!" The Hopper shouted as it leapt into the air before its foot slammed into Genki's eye, sending the young man sprawling onto the ground and into the cold snow with a loud shout of pain. Genki gritted his teeth as his head spun, though just as his vision came back to him, he watched as the man pushed Holly roughly against the alley wall with a loud thud before he disappeared into the shadows; leaving Holly to slump down to the cold ground below.

"H-Holly!" Genki stuttered out as he scrambled to get his footing in the slushy snow before he bolted to Holly's side. Although a little disoriented, Genki sighed in relief to see her look up at him before she flung her arms around his neck and buried her head against his chest.

"G-Genki… I'm s-so sorry…!" Holly whispered as her body shook. "I didn't e-even think about t-the dangers…"

"Shh… don't be sorry, Holly. It wasn't your fault at all. Had you not run out to help that Hopper, I would have. It's in our nature, especially yours because you have such a big heart," Genki responded softly as he stroked his girlfriend's hair before kissing her lovingly on her forehead; relief flowing into him at knowing she was alright. They knelt in the cold snow like that for a long time as everything slowly sunk in even though their cold bodies cursed at them to get up.

At the beginning of the night, the couple looked like something from a story book. Besides the ever present orange hat on his head, Genki had worn a more dressy blue button up shirt with a tie, black dress pants, and shiny dress shoes. Holly, too, had dressed up a bit for the occasion of getting to see her boyfriend after four months. Her hair had been placed in a neat ponytail, she wore a stunning green shirt with an elegant dark green skirt to match, and she wore sparkling flat black shoes to top it all off. Every now and then, they would catch someone glancing at them with happy and even jealous eyes. Now, though, it was all ruined. Genki's suit was soaked and his eye was swollen shut from the Hopper's attack, a large blue bruise blotching the entire area. His once shiny shoes were scuffed and muddied while he looked as if he had been thrown into a pit of angry dogs. Holly wasn't better off. Her once neat ponytail had come undone due to the mugger pulling her by it and her side throbbed from where she had been pushed into the alley wall. Her skirt was torn down the side and her knees were raw from the cold. Although not much, a stream of dried blood was caked on the young woman's neck and even though it was all over, Holly could still feel the blade pressed up against her throat.

_'...fate hates me...'_ Genki thought to himself as he cradled Holly's shivering body close to his own. He had planned the night out since Holly had left on her trip, but everything had fallen into shambles right before his eyes.

"…Genki?"

"Yeah, Holly?"

"…was that black box what I think it was?"

Genki felt his eyes widened as he looked down at the tired girl in his arms before he hugged her a little tighter. His plan to bring her out to a beautiful restaurant before bringing her to the outskirts of town to watch the stars and finishing the perfect night by asking her '_the question'_ had all gone down the drain, and he couldn't help but wonder why fate always had different plans for him. Now he had no money for food, they were both too tired to stay out late to watch the stars, they were both scuffed up, they were wet and freezing, and he had no ring. His plans had turned into a disaster.

"…yeah, it was," Genki replied with a bitter chuckle as he avoided any eye contact, for he felt too ashamed to look into her innocent eyes. "But obviously fate had other plans and there's nothing we can do about it."

The couple fell into a bout of silence while they continued to avert their attention elsewhere. Everything had happened so fast that by the time they had registered what was going on, both of them had been mugged, assaulted, and left in the cold. After several minutes, Genki felt a bitter sigh exit his throat as he went to stand up, but he felt his eyes widened when Holly's cold and delicate hands held him down to stay seated as they had been. Her face was still pressed up against his chest, though no longer did she seem afraid or distraught. Instead, Genki could have sworn she seemed almost peaceful, like some kind of angel.

"…Genki?"

"Yeah?"

"You know you… you don't need a ring to ask me that question."

Genki felt himself blink in surprise as he looked down at the brunette in his arms before a large wryly grin broke out across his face, one in which Holly was quick to match. With a nervous gulp, the young man awkwardly got on one knee, his entire leg feeling the effects of kneeling in the cold snow. Holly was quick to leap to her feet and stand in front of the man from another world as she waited patiently, and nervously, for the question that would change their lives forever. She couldn't remember how long she had waited for this moment and although the night hadn't gone as planned, seeing Genki down on one knee was one of the most magical moments of her entire life. And when he asked her hand in marriage, she responded with a '_yes!_' even before he got to finish his sentence.

Sometimes, fate tries to lead people in one direction, but many times it's better to go one's own direction instead.

* * *

><p>So, yup! You don't actually get to see it, but Genki and Holly are finally engaged. Woot woot! ^_^ I could picture Holly being so excited about the proposal that she wouldn't even let him finish. I know I would be! XD The whole fate thing started in the L chapter and will be a part of this story now because Genki and Holly will be kind of fighting fate for a while. I need to organize the next few chapters because I know S and T will go together as sort of a set, but I'm still working out the other letters before those. Thanks so much for reading!<p>

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	15. O: Oppose

Man, these lunch breaks are really letting me move along on this story! At this rate, I may even have it done within the next month or two! One can only hope, right? ^_^ This one is short, sorry! Thank you so much for reading!

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**O: Oppose**

Holly smiled giddily as she looked down at the small diamond ring resting snugly on her finger, almost as if it had always been meant to reside there. Both her and Genki couldn't thank Tiger enough for tracking down the mugger and getting their money and the engagement ring back, though this made him the first to know about the couple's new step in their relationship. Soon after, they broke the news to the rest of the rebels, all whom gave them their congratulations and acceptance. Even Suezo, whom Holly had almost been sure would have opposed it, gave them his blessings, though not before threating Genki that if he ever hurt her, he would wake up one day without his manhood. Still, things had fallen into place, all except for one thing.

'_I need to tell my father,'_ Holly thought to herself with a small gulp as she paced the floor nervously. _'He has to have gotten a little more accepting of my relationship with Genki by now, right? I mean, we've been dating for over four years!'_

Holly sighed as she grabbed a worn broom before sweeping the floor of her kitchen even though it was already clean. Maybe it was from anxiety or maybe it was from fear, but the young woman found herself trying desperately to find things to keep her mind off of the situation. It was a tough spot to be in, for she was beyond happy to become Genki's fiancé, but breaking the news to her father was a frightening task that had been weighing on her for several weeks. As the young woman began to wipe down the shining windows, she felt her breath quicken as she spotted her father trudging up the dirt road and heading toward the house. With one last glance down at the diamond ring, Holly swallowed her fear and began to make some tea; something she always did when she had to speak to someone about something important. As the water began to boil, the young woman could feel her body go ridged as the door swung open and Yosho walked in carrying several bags of random goods.

"Holly, can you believe they're selling cobs of corn by the dozen? It was such a good deal that I had to buy some," Yosho spoke as he placed the bags on the kitchen table before stretching his tired back. When the older man noticed Holly pouring some tea, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "You normally don't make green tea this time of day. What's the occasion?"

"I was, uh, hoping I could talk with you," Holly replied hesitantly as she placed the tea cups on a small serving tray. Part of her was scared to death of her father's reaction, but another part of her was relieved that he was sober otherwise he would probably get violent.

"Of course. Come; let's sit at the table," Yosho spoke softly as he took the bags of groceries and placed them on the floor before taking a seat and looking up at his daughter expectantly. The young woman was quick to avert her gaze down at the tray of tea in her hands before she set it down and took a seat across from her father all the while doing her best to not look nervous and to keep her engagement ring hidden for now. Steam rose up steadily from the cups of tea as Yosho took one before taking a small sip; all the while Holly was busy trying to think of a way to break the news to him carefully.

"…how's the tea?" Holly asked with a nervous smile while she picked up her own cup and gently twirled the contents to keep her mind preoccupied.

"Delicious, as always. Something tells me that you didn't sit me down to talk about tea, though," the older man replied with a shrug before taking another sip of the warm liquid.

"Well, uh, you got me there," Holly chuckled lightly while fidgeting anxiously in her seat.

"So, what's this all about, Holly? Has something happened?" Yosho asked quickly, his eyes shining in a cross between worry and suspicion.

"Yes, in a way. It's not a bad thing, though!"

"…Holly, I don't know what kind of group you've been hanging out with, but I know you've been up to something lately," the older man spoke up gruffly with piercing eyes that caused Holly to physically flinch under his hard stare.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that you've been acting weird for the past few weeks. Don't think I didn't see the puncture mark on your neck you were hiding and the way you flinched anytime pressure was put on your side. Has someone been beating you?" Yosho asked sternly while he clenched the tea cup so tightly Holly could have sworn she heard it crack slightly.

"W-what? No! Honest! No one's been beating me!" Holly exclaimed quickly.

"Then what happened?"

"I… I was walking with Genki a few weeks ago and this guy grabbed me and…" Holly trailed off as she felt a shiver go up her spine as the memories of being mugged scattered in her mind.

"…and what?"

"…this man held me at knife point and forced Genki to give him all his money. Once he was done he pushed me up against a wall and ran away, though Tiger caught him later. That's where those injuries came from, I swear," Holly explained quickly.

"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" Yosho asked with a frown.

"I didn't want you to worry about me," the brunette replied softly before she took a small sip of her tea. Deep down, she knew Yosho would kill anyone who touched her and after being Moo, him killing another person was the last thing his already bad reputation needed. "Really, everything is fine now."

"If something like that happens again, you have to tell me! Promise me you'll tell me."

"…okay, I promise."

"Good. You always hide your feelings, but it's not healthy," Yosho spoke as he continued to stare at his daughter with a questioning look, as if he was searching for an answer that just wasn't there. "…Holly?"

"Yes, father?"

"The mugging_ isn't_ what you wanted to tell me, is it?"

"…not quite…"

"Don't tell me you're pregnant!"

"What? No! It's not like that!"

Holly felt her heart almost stop until she took a quick drink of the tea and forced it down her throat even though it stung. She could feel the heat rush up into her face while she avoided any eye contact with her father. It was the moment of truth, and she didn't feel like she was quite ready for it. Still, it was now or never, and Holly slowly extended a shaky hand out to her father until it was resting on the smooth table top; her delicate hands unmoving and the small diamond ring exposed.

"…is that…an _engagement _ring?" Yosho whispered in shock.

"Y-yes. That's why I was out with Genki that night… he asked me to marry him…" Holly spoke up nervously while trying her best to keep her composure.

"…no… _no! _You didn't! You didn't agree to it! You couldn't have!" Yosho exclaimed as he slammed his tea cup down on the table and brought a callused hand up to run through his unkept hair. "Tell me this is a joke! Tell me you took the ring and told him no!"

"…I said yes, father… I said yes…"

"Damn it, Holly! How could you? You're throwing your life away!"

"But I love him, father!"

"Don't say such ridiculous things! You don't know what you're saying!"

"Yes I do! I want to have a family and spend the rest of my life with him!" Holly exclaimed, and she felt a knot form in her stomach as the moment reminded her too much of the time she first told her father she was dating Genki. She was however, extremely surprised when the older man let out an almost defeated sigh before shook his head slowly.

"…fine…"

"… you mean it?" Holly asked in surprise as she felt her eyes widen in shock at her father's sudden words. Normally, he was not one to give up so easily, and the young woman could feel a chill run up her spine.

"Go ahead and ruin your life! Run off with that boy! See if I care!" Yosho shouted bitterly as he threw his arms in the air in frustration.

"Please… father…"

"Don't call me that. You're no daughter of mine anymore."

"_W-what?_" Holly stutter in horror, her knees felt of jelly while her heart just about shattered at her father's harsh and careless words.

"You heard me. Get the hell out of my house!" Yosho growled angrily.

"You're _kicking_ me out? But, father-"

"_GET OUT!_"

Holly felt fear rip into her body as her father towered over her like some kind of beast, and the young woman was quick to scramble to her feet before plowing out the door and bolting down the street. She didn't know how long she had run for, but when her legs finally gave out she slumped to her knees on the hard cold ground before burying her face into her hands and sobbing softly to herself. She knew she would return to the house later when Yosho was sure to be passed out so she could collect her belongings, and a sense of dread filled her entire body. What would she tell the rest of the rebels? How would Suezo react? Better yet, how would _Genki_ react? With a small sniffle, Holly slowly turned her hand around so she could see the glimmering sparkle of the small diamond ring, and she felt a weak smile play across her lips as another tear made its way down her cheek.

'_Things have always been hard for us, like finding the Phoenix, beating Moo, trying to save my father from the Mystery Disk… It always starts out hard, but eventually things fall into place. I know things are hard now, but I can't give up…'_ Holly thought quietly to herself as she slowly got to her feet and began to trudge toward Hare's home, where she knew she's be welcomed with open arms and loving smiles.

* * *

><p>Sorry for this fast paced chapter. I'm at the end of my lunch break here. XD ripitupgenki gave me the idea to add in the little fact that Tiger hunted down and got back Genki's belongings, including the engagement ring. ^_^ I know this one was dramatic. Sorry about that! XD Times were different then, though, and often times the father chose who a daughter would marry, so Holly going against that is probably considered not normal. I think the next 2 or three chapters won't be so saddramatic, but I already know S and T are going to be pretty intense. XP

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	16. P: Patience

We're into the new year, everyone. Let's try and make it a good one! This chapter is a bit more mellow since I'm not in the best of moods today, sorry about this! This will also be much shorter due to my limited lunch break. The next chapter should be happier, though! ^_^

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**P: Patience**

Suezo sighed softly to himself as he watched Holly helping Golem make the gang some lunch. It wasn't that he annoyed by this. No, he loved when Holly would cook them up some delicious food and treats, for nothing could compare to her culinary skills. Golem, too, had become rather talented in the cooking field thanks to Holly's teachings. The eyeball monster wasn't surveying the duo's cooking; he was more so watching Holly as she stirred some broccoli in butter before adding some chopped garlic to the mix. As Golem helped to sprinkle a little fresh basil on top, Holly flashed the rock giant a worn smile before turning her attention back to the cooking meal.

A worn smile.

Suezo felt his heart drop as he watched the young woman go on with daily life as if nothing was wrong, as if everything was perfect. He hated when she put up this charade. He absolutely _hated_ it. He hated how she would pretend the world was fine so no one would worry about her. He hated how she would flash everyone empty smiles to calm their nerves. He hated how she would always allow herself to suffer in silence just so she wouldn't feel like a burden. Oh, how he hated it.

"Suezo, the meal is almost done! Could you let the others know?" Holly called out from the kitchen.

"Yeah, sure," Suezo replied softly as he hopped off the couch before heading out to the backyard of Hare's home to find the other rebels plucking weeds from around the house. Normally, the eyeball monster would have laughed at the scene at seeing the heroes who defeated Moo plucking weeds on their hands and knees, but today he just wasn't quite up to it.

"We should hire someone to do this," Tiger muttered as he pulled up a dandelion with his paw.

"That would cost way too much!" Hare exclaimed with a scowl.

"You just don't want to pay the expense. It would be worth it, you cheapskate," the wolf monster replied with a huff.

"This is just as efficient and it doesn't cost me anything, so there we have it," the rabbit monster spoke with a nod of his head, but his argument was cut short when his eyes fell on Mocchi, who was pulling up some crabgrass. "Mocchi! When you pull out weeds, you're supposed to pull out the root, too, or else they'll just grow back!"

"Oh! Sorry, chi!" Mocchi chirped up.

"Don't worry. You're doing a good job, Mocchi," Genki spoke up with a wryly smile.

"Hey guys, lunch is almost done," Suezo announced weakly, though they didn't need to be told twice because all except him and Genki bolted inside the house to get in line for some fresh food; leaving the young man and Suezo to stand alone awkwardly.

"Hey, Suezo, you seem kind of down. You okay?" Genki asked with a frown as he strode over to the eyeball monster's side before placing a comforting hand on his head; worry in his eyes at seeing his usual loud and slightly obnoxious friend so quiet.

"…I'm worried about Holly," the yellow monster admitted with a low sigh.

"…oh, you mean because of her situation with Yosho, right?"

"Yeah… She acts like everything is fine, but for the past few months she's been hiding behind her emotional mask like she usually does. She tells me she's fine, but I know she's not and I think she's hurt by more than just being kicked out of her house. She won't tell me what happened the day she told her father about her engagement, but I'm sure he said something else that really hurt her," Suezo explained with a worried glance up at Genki.

"I know what you mean," the young man replied, and he couldn't help but feel a strange pull in his gut at seeing someone as guarded at Suezo being so suddenly open. "…I wouldn't let it get to you, though."

"How can it _not_ get to me?"

"With Holly, she's the kind of person who the more you ask her what's wrong, the more guarded and distant she gets. That's why I always make sure I'm close to her, but I don't bring it up. She'll start talking when she's ready to, but until then all we can really do for her is to make sure we're there for her so when she is ready to talk, there's someone there to hear her out. It makes me feel helpless sometimes, but I know she'll talk soon," Genki replied with a sad smile.

"…I suppose you're right. I just hate this waiting game. I hate seeing her so upset," the eyeball monster spoke with a frown. "I know it took me a little while to come to term with you and Holly's relationship. It had nothing to do with you as a person, but it was just… I felt at first that maybe I was losing Holly to you. I realized later, though, that Holly doesn't love me any less now that she's with you. I wish Yosho would come to terms with it, too, so this whole painful situation can finally end."

"I think Yosho is starting to realize Holly's emotions, though, and I think there's still a chance he may come to terms with my relationship with her."

"How do you know that?"

"When Holly went to get her belongings from her home, I went with her. Yosho was passed out on the couch, but even in his sleep he looked so sad and so broken. I felt awful just seeing him like that," Genki replied as he kept his gaze down at the ground while nudging a pebble with the tip of his boot. "This whole time throughout my relationship with Holly, I've always been fearful of Yosho because he's always been so unpredictable and tough. Seeing him so vulnerable, though, was almost sad."

"Let's hope you're right, otherwise Holly will be in for a world of hardship. She loves her father, but she also loves you. If things don't work out with Yosho, than your relationship with her will be strained," Suezo spoke with a frown. "And if that were to happen, she would be even more broken at not only losing her father, but also losing you."

"I won't let it get to that, rest assured. Still…"

"What?"

"She_ has_ been keeping me at arm's length ever since her last meeting with her father. I… I'm not going to let it get to me, though. I know things will work out as long as we give Holly her space and to hear her out when she decides to open up," Genki reassured as he put on a small smile no matter how much he really didn't want to. "All we need is a little determination and some patience, and everything will be okay."

"I sure hope you're right, Genki. I'm better with the determination thing rather than the patience thing, though," Suezo replied with a sad chuckle, the stress and fatigue from the past months catching up to him.

"Come on, let's grab some lunch otherwise we'll worry ourselves into a coma if we keep talking like this," the young man spoke with a small laugh as he patted Suezo's head before heading inside the house.

'…_I just need patience. For you, Holly, I'll wait as long as you need me to if it will make you happy again. Please, try not to make me wait too long, though,_' Suezo thought to himself as he slowly hopped inside to get some lunch, where he already knew he would be welcomed with a steaming meal and an empty smile.

* * *

><p>This was a shorter and mellower chapter more so focusing on Suezo as he sees Holly's pain from her relationship problems with Yosho. I thought he needed a chapter since Hare and Tiger have both had their moments, but Suezo hasn't even though he's Holly's companion. So, yeah. XD I can't believe there's ten chapters left. I feel like I just started this story. XD<p>

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	17. Q: Quirk

Fwew, time to take chapter Q on! I promise this one isn't a sad one and it even has some underlying humor in it, as a bit of a break from that past few serious chapters. Thanks so much for reading this! I appreciate any reviews, too! Ripitupgenki, you're the best! :D

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**Q: Quirk**

Holly fiddled anxiously with the hem of her white dress as she looked down nervously at her matching white shoes. Her heart raced with every passing second and she hated to admit it, but she felt sick. Her stomach was knotted up and full of butterflies while her head was light and clouded with emotions. She never would have guessed she would be standing where she was now, but now that she was there, she was completely frightened. Her palms were warm inside the white gloves she wore that went up to her elbows and because her hair was down, it clung to the back of her neck, hence causing the young woman to feel even warmer. Her dress was an elegant white that bellowed out and trailed off behind her as she walked, though Holly wasn't use to wearing such attire and this only caused her to become more nervous.

_'Breath, Holly, breath! Get a hold of yourself! You can do this! ...what if I trip in front of everyone? Oh, that would be so embarrassing!'_ Holly thought nervously to herself as she paced the floor quietly with the only sound being the clacking of her shoes as they connected with the hard tile floor and her heavy breathing. _'I don't want to embarrass Genki, either. Of all the days to get so nervous, why did it have to be my wedding day?'_

The bride-to-be sighed softly as she pulled aside a curtain and peaked down the church aisle where everyone she had ever met sat patiently while peaceful organ music played in the background. She couldn't help but let out a low chuckle at seeing Gobi clinging to Mum Mew's arm while already crying softly, even though the wedding had yet to even start while the cat monster only patted his back comfortingly while sweating slightly in embarrassment. The larger monsters, like Astro and Falcon, sat in the far back so the rest of the crowd could see the ceremony. Colt, Fairy Hare, Tama, and Sandra talked merrily with one another as they stood at the front of the church, serving as Holly's bridesmaids. In back of them, Granity watch the girls talk among themselves with a smile on her face, and Holly felt her own smile broaden at seeing her maid of honor. Even with her past of feeling inferior to the Pixie hybrid, she knew she made the right choice on who would be up near the alter with her, for she was one of the greatest allies and friends Holly had ever met.

"No, Golem should go in back because of his size!"

"I get that, but you should be next to Suezo because of _your _height!"

"No, I should be in front to keep the balance!"

"You wouldn't know balance if it shot you in the face, mutt!"

"You want to try that theory, bunny?"

A smile graced Holly's lips as she spotted Golem, Tiger, Hare, and Suezo standing at the end of the aisle as the groomsmen and she couldn't help but laugh at seeing Tiger and Hare arguing over where each of them would stand. Even in a moment as holy and peaceful as a wedding, the duo still couldn't help but find something to argue about. Mocchi stood off to the side dressed in a small classy suit with a pillow in his hands, and Holly could feel herself resist the urge to run out and hug the adorable little ring bearer. Before Holly could turn her eyes away, though, she felt a blush creep across her face as she watch Genki walk up from his place in the back to break up the oncoming fight. It was a rare occasion for the young man to dress up, and seeing him in a black tuxedo with his hair combed back and his dress shoes shined caused Holly's heart to race. This was_ their_ day, and nothing could change that.

'_I just wish I wasn't stuck standing alone like this! I wish I could go out there and socialize a bit,'_ Holly sighed as she pulled her attention away from the church room, leaving her to, once again, pace the floor by herself. As the feeling of loneliness began to sink in again, the brunette felt the corners of her eyes sting as her gaze shifted to her side where normally a daughter's father would be there to walk her down the aisle, but that spot was empty and void. _'…father…'_

The young woman's heart fell slightly at the thought, but she felt her mind whirl as the organ music began to get louder and for the room to fall silent. She wished she could look out to see what was going on, but she knew if she did, someone would surely spot her and that would be even more awkward. Holly felt herself growing bored, and she felt her curiosity being perked as she could hear someone addressing the crowd, most likely some form of priest.

'_What's he saying? Why does the bride have to be excluded from all of this? When I said I'd like a traditional wedding, I didn't think it would be this traditional! Just one last peak and I swear I'm done,' _Holly scowled slightly as she slowly parted a small section of the curtains to get a view of the wedding's start. Everyone was silent, as if waiting for the Phoenix to be resurrected. She could make out the view of her friends and, from the looks of it, they felt rather out of place as she watched Tiger shifting in discomfort while Suezo continuously averted his gaze elsewhere. _'After all our years of adventuring, I guess they're not use to this kind of thing either. I'll have to thank them for going through with this…'_

"Today is a special day that many of us knew would happen even before the two people getting married knew," Durahan spoke up loudly and triumphantly as if he was addressing a military army while he slammed his hands down on the alter, causing everyone in the room to jump in their seats from surprise. "They have been forever fated to be together, against all odds and dangers!"

'_Wait… Durahan is the one who's marrying us? Since when is he legally able to do that? Why doesn't anyone tell me these things?' _Holly thought to herself with a raised eyebrow at seeing the proud warrior now dressed in holy garb. It was odd sight to see and Holly was sure she wouldn't forget it for a very long time. _'Next thing I'll know, Lilim will become a nun… yeah right, that would be the day.'_

"They were two young children who were on a deadly quest to find the legendary Phoenix in order to defeat Moo. They went through many hardships and struggles, but that didn't weaken their bond at all. In fact, it only made them grow closer!" Durahan announced proudly as he whipped out his sword and swung it epically in the air for dramatic effect, though it only proved to scare the crowd. "Their journey to defeat Moo may have come to an end, but their journey in life is only beginning today! This is a day that all of us will remember; the day two heroes unite in their quest to find eternal happiness!"

'_He may be really over dramatic and a little over the top, but I actually find it kind of sweet how intense he is over this,'_ Holly thought to herself with a chuckle as she watched the warrior swing his sword again while just missing slicing Hare's tie off. As the young woman closed the curtain, she felt her body freeze as a hand flew over her mouth and a strong being pulled her away until she was far enough from the church entry when they released their hold on her. Holly felt goosebumps form on her arms as she slowly turned to see who her assailant was, and she felt her eyes widen as she subconsciously gripped the sides of her dress.

"…father?" Holly whispered quietly. Yosho stood before her with a tired expression on his face while his eyes shone with an unexplainable amount of sadness. He looked as if he hadn't slept in weeks, and Holly couldn't help but worry that he could pass out from fatigue at any moment. Still, she felt shame wash over her body at remembering the man's harsh words toward her all those months ago, and Holly slowly averted her gaze to the tiled floor below.

"Holly…" Yosho trailed off, his voice speaking her name so gently almost as if saying it any louder would shatter her very soul. "I'm sorry I pulled you away like that just now. I didn't want to startle you and have you scream, though."

"You came? But, why?" Holly asked in surprise at seeing her father standing in front of her, for he was the last person she expected to ever show up to the wedding after all that had happened. Part of her was scared to see the outcome of his arrival, but another part of her was curious and couldn't help but hear him out.

"I… I got the invitation," the older man spoke quietly.

"Invitation? But, I didn't-" Holly started to speak until her eyes grew wide in realization. _'…Genki.'_

"Holly, I… I'm so sorry for everything. I know I don't deserve it, but please forgive me. These past few months without you with me have been hell. I realize how selfish I've been, but I don't want to lose you. I've put you through so much pain and I can't go back to change what I've done. I've been sober ever since you left and I got myself a job so I could make you proud of me for once. I understand if you can't forgive me or don't want me here. I just wanted to see my daughter on her wedding day, no matter how short of a time it may be," Yosho spoke sternly, yet with a tone of desperation that Holly had never heard from him before.

"You… you just called me your daughter," the brunette whispered quietly.

"I know I did. I understand if you don't want me as your father, though. I've done some horrible things that-" Yosho started to speak until Holly flung her arms around the older man before burying her face against his chest, not even letting the man finish his sentence.

"I've never stopped being your daughter. Not for a second," Holly whispered softly while Yosho stroked her smooth hair gently, just as he once use to when she was younger.

"Holly… I don't deserve someone as kind as you in my life," the older man replied as he held the young woman in his arms a little tighter.

"Don't say that. You're here today, right? You've made changes to your life, too! We've been through so much… I know we can make it," Holly spoke with a loving smile, though both daughter and father turned their heads when the curtains flew open and Falcon peaked his head through.

"Holly! You were supposed to walk out when the organ started playing again, and that was five minutes ago!" Falcon whispered hoarsely until his eyes widened at seeing whom she was hugging, though he shrugged it off and disappeared back behind the curtain.

"Oh! _We_ need to go!" Holly exclaimed as she grabbed her veil off of the chair before placing it on her head and straightening out her dress. Her heart was pounding from nerves, but somehow it was almost soothing, especially knowing who it was waiting for her at the end of the aisle.

"…we?"

"I… I was hoping you'd walk me down the aisle," Holly admitted with a blush.

"…it would be an honor," Yosho replied as he extended his arm out, in which Holly was quick to grab it and snuggle up close to his side. Part of her wasn't sure just what Genki had put in that invitation of his, but she'd have to remember to thank him greatly for it later. As the father and daughter walked slowly down the aisle while glancing at the surprised and gawking expressions they received, Holly felt her heart flutter as Genki flashed her one of his trademark grins; one of his smiles that he only flashed her way, and Holly was quick to return it. At him spotting her father, Holly felt her eyes widen in suprise at seeing Genki's smile only widened at the new arrival, and Yosho, though hesitantly, returned it. Deep down, Holly knew one thing for sure: she owed Genki big time.

* * *

><p>So, that one was happier! You don't get to see the rest of the wedding, but you can imagine things went well. Yosho finally caved in and came to accept Holly's feelings, though not without a helpful nudge from Genki. ^_^ Quirk has several meanings, but it can also mean a sudden change in behavior, which is applying to Yosho, in this case. Why did I put Durahan as the priest? Because I think he'd be an awesome one who would go on tangents about his epic battles. I would love for Durahan to marry me off! XD<p>

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	18. R: Reveal

We're already up to the R chapter? Man, this story is going to be over way sooner than I first thought. I thought I'd be working on it until June, but I highly doubt it will be that long now. These lunch breaks are flippin' sweet! XD

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**R: Reveal**

"…hey, Genki?"

"Huh? What's up, Holly?"

"Um… well… nevermind."

Holly flushed slightly as she put some water in a kettle before setting it over the fire to boil while Genki watched in slight confusion. It had started as a usual day for the young couple; they rolled out of bed, ate some breakfast, and did some choirs. Holly asking him to come in for some tea, however, was one of those moments that went out of their usual flow and after over a year of being married, the young man knew she wanted to talk with him about something important. This, though, only caused Genki to get a little nervous as he slowly sat down at the dining room table while trying to avert his gaze away from his wife.

'_Oh, Phoenix, I'm in trouble now! I bet she figured out it was me who put that spider in Suezo's bed even though I blamed it on Hare or maybe she knows I'm the one who ate the last piece of cake even though I blamed it on Suezo,'_ Genki mentally sulked at his luck as he felt his nerves flare as Holly began to pour two cups of tea before placing them both on the table. With a smile, the young woman sat across from her husband while taking one of the cups and taking a small sip of tea._ 'Think fast, man! Think really fast!'_

"So, Genki, how has-"

"Hare made me do it!"

Holly sweated slightly at the young man's sudden outburst while he shifted in discomfort in his seat. With a low cough, Genki gave Holly a weak smile before taking his own tea cup and taking a sip of the warm liquid while still avoiding any eye contact. He hated having these kinds of talks where he had no idea what the topic was or if it was a good or bad one. After a minute of silence, Holly cleared her throat awkwardly before giving her husband a skeptical look as she tried to brush off his last comment.

"Um, I'm not even going to ask what it is you guys have been up to lately. I'm better off not knowing," Holly spoke with a roll of her eyes. "No, I want to talk about something else that's important and I thought now would be a good time while the guys are out."

"…this is because I left the toilet seat up again, right? I swear I don't do it on purpose! Honest! It's just its always late and I'm tired so I completely forget about it," Genki defended himself quickly while Holly face faulted in surprise.

"What? No! We already had that discussion last week," Holly replied with an embarrassed frown.

"Okay, so it's about me tracking mud in the house then? I really do try and stomp my shoes outside, but it doesn't work really well. When I used that brush to try and clean the bottom of my shoes off, though, you got mad at me even though I was trying to be good!"

"That's because you were using my _hair _brush," Holly growled irritably. "But that's beside the point! You're getting me off the topic here."

"Okay, is this about when I switched the sugar with the salt? That was an honest mistake that anyone could make and besides, I didn't think the cookies tasted_ that_ bad. It could have been way worse," the young man spoke with a shrug of his shoulders.

"…that's because you weren't the one who took a sip of tea to find out that wasn't really sugar," Holly scowled at the memory of one of the many wonderful ways to start a morning. "I got sick after that, thank you very much."

"Okay, so it wasn't my best day," Genki admitted as he nervously glanced over at his wife. "Is this about-"

"Genki, please! Just hear me out here!" Holly exclaimed quickly before her husband could bring up another random topic.

"…okay," Genki sulked slightly.

"You're not in trouble, Genki. Honestly, anytime I ever talk one-on-one with any of you guys, you always jump right to the conclusion that you're in trouble for doing something. It makes me wonder just what kind of stunts you guys are pulling when I'm not around," Holly eyed Genki suspiciously while the young man laughed nervously while averting his gaze away.

"Yeah… anyways! So what's this about then?" Genki quickly changed the subject.

"Genki… I love you," Holly spoke up suddenly.

"Uh, I love you too, Holly," the young man replied with a confused look.

"Promise me that what I'm about to tell you won't make you think any different of me and that you won't freak out, okay?" Holly asked seriously as she extended her arms across the table before taking Genki's hands in hers. As the young man looked down in confusion at their intertwined fingers, his eyes widened and Holly felt her heart leap up into her throat.

"…oh, Phoenix! I know what's going on here!"

"Y-you do? Really?"

"Why didn't you tell me earlier? Holy Phoenix! I don't know what to think right now!"

"I was just waiting for it to be just the two of us so I could tell you. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

"Holly… is it true?"

"…"

"…so you're really a _lesbian?_"

"…_HUH?_"

Holly felt herself blink in confusion before she face faulted in surprise while Genki stared at her with his mouth agape and his eyes wide. After several seconds of silence, Holly felt a scowl play across her lips as she tore her hand away from Genki's before backhanding him on his arm while the young man reeled back in surprise at his wife's sudden aggression.

"…so, I was right?"

"For the love of the Phoenix! Genki! Why in the Phoenix's name would I have married you if I was a lesbian? Does that make any sense to you at all?" Holly huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest and sighed softly, her expression flashing angrily at the man sitting across from her and causing him to physically flinch.

"Sheesh, Holly! I don't know! You sit me down and I have no idea what's going on so I've been trying to throw some answers out there, is all!" Genki exclaimed as he threw his arms in the air in frustration. "I'm not good at this kind of thing! You know that!"

"…you're right. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get angry," the young woman spoke softly as she flashed her husband a weary smile.

"Yeah, me to… so, you're not a lesbian?"

"…yes Genki. I'm not a lesbian."

Genki sighed in relief while Holly could only roll her eyes before taking a sip of her lukewarm tea. As her eyes spotted the sun dial, though, she felt her eyes widen and she quickly grabbed Genki's hands once more before staring directly into his clear eyes even though it made him feel extremely uncomfortable.

'_I need to hurry before the other guys get back here!' _Holly thought to herself with a determined expression.

'_Oh, Phoenix, she's gonna punch me in the face!'_ Genki thought to himself with a gulp.

"Okay, Genki. Don't freak out, don't go crazy, and please don't start shouting, okay?" Holly explained slowly while Genki numbly nodded his head. "_Okay?"_

"Uh, sure," the young man replied quietly.

"…I'm pregnant."

"…what…?"

"I said I'm pregnant, Genki."

Genki wasn't sure what exactly happened after that. From the shock of the news, the last thing he could remember was hearing Holly's voice speaking to him, though he couldn't quite make out what she was saying. Instead, all he could hear was a buzzing sound in his ears that seemed to be coming from every direction; the sound was almost haunting and disorienting. The young man couldn't quite get a grip on the world around him, though, and he felt a strange sensation in his stomach and throat before his vision clouded up and went completely black.

* * *

><p>"…I'm sorry."<p>

"Don't be."

Holly sat quietly at Genki's bedside as the young man lay still with a bowl of fresh soup in his hands, the smell from the bowl was soothing and relaxing. He had only been awake for a little while, but judging from Holly's expression, whatever had happened to him had not been a pleasant experience for either of them.

"What happened anyways?" Genki asked groggily as he took a spoonful of soup.

"You vomited everywhere before passing out," Holly replied with a sad chuckle. "I spent the last hour cleaning up you, the table, and our clothes."

"Really? I got it on you, too?"

"I was holding your hands, remember? You had the vomit launch like the Mocchi Cannon."

"Man, I'm one hell of a mood killer," Genki moaned in embarrassment as he put the soup bowl down. "I'm _so_ sorry!"

"Don't be, Genki. Really, it's okay," Holly stated as she flashed him a warm smile. "That was a lot to take in at once."

"So… you're really pregnant?"

"…yes."

"…Holy Phoenix, I'm gonna be a dad!" Genki shouted with a large grin and a whoop of glory as Holly blinked in surprise at his sudden excitement. Before she could speak, Genki hopped off the bed and launched himself at the brunette as he brought her in for a tight hug before lifting her off her feet. "I can't believe it! Holly! We're gonna be parents! We're gonna have a baby!"

"You're happy? Really?" Holly asked in surprise while a grin etched its way across her lips.

"Of course! I guess I just got a little overwhelmed before, is all," Genki replied with a playful wink.

"I'll say. I didn't think that much vomit could come from one person! What did you eat today?" Holly laughed giddily as Genki planted a trail of kisses up her neck and then onto her cheek.

"Oh, I had some stew, tea, a piece of cake-"

"Wait, _you_ ate the last piece of cake?"

"…oh, crap."

"Genki Sakura! I scolded Suezo for that, you little weasel!" Holly scowled as she placed her hands on her hips and tapped her boot on the ground steadily while keeping a close eye on her stuttering husband.

"Well… uh, you see… that's a very funny story…" Genki replied with a hesitant chuckle before he grabbed Holly and swooped her down before stealing a kiss from her lips. "I wanted to eat extra sugar today to make sure I was sweet enough for you."

"…Genki, you're so corny sometimes. And after seeing you vomit, I don't know how sweet you are today," Holly chuckled softly before pressing her lips up against Genki's once more. "But… I can't stay mad at you for long since you're the love of my life…"

'_Score!'_ Genki thought victoriously.

"…and I'll need someone to wait on my every need for these next long nine months!"

'…_oh, Phoenix, help me!' _Genki thought in horror.

"Oh, Genki, relax. I was just kidding," Holly giggled as she caught her husband's mortified expression. "But, on a serious note… I was saving the piece of cake because I've been craving it, so it looks like you'll be baking me another one. Oh, and could you put some radishes in it? Oh! And maybe some celery and…"

"…and so it begins…" Genki whispered to himself as he gave his wife a hesitant smile as she continued to list random foods to add to the cake. "This… is going to be very interesting…"

* * *

><p>I can picture the rebels, except for Golem and Holly, doing things and blaming the others for it. XD I can also see that, after being married for over a year, that Holly would be much more open with Genki and not quite as timid as she once was. So yeah, this one was more cute and humorous than I had first anticipated. The next two won't be as fluffy, though, so just a warning. Thanks for reading! ^_^<p>

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	19. S: Sick

Okay, on to a more dramatic one. It's not nearly as bad as I originally thought it would be, so we can all breath now. XD Thank you again, ripitupgenki, for following this so closely! It really means a lot to me! ^_^ I don't have time to proof read this, so I'm sure the errors are immense! XD Enjoy!

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**S: Sick**

Genki sighed softly as he ran his fingers through his messy brown hair while he tapped his foot irritably as if it would speed up time. His eyes had dark bags under them that gave him a sad look while his entire body was slouched over from fatigue; his eyes felt like lead weights, but he wouldn't allow them to close. The young man's stomach grumbled loudly in protest to his current state of weariness, but Genki ignored it. His mind was far too focused on looking down at the pale young woman who lay motionless in the bed he was sitting next to.

"…Holly…"

He wasn't sure how long it had been since she had fallen ill, but Genki had been at the brunette's side ever since. He remembered coming home from work only to find his wife lying motionlessly on the kitchen floor; her breathing was so low he was almost sure she had been dead. His fingers were laced with her clammy ones and he could feel his heart race every time a ragged cough would exit her pale lips. Her hair was down and sprawled on the pillow supporting her head, yet it made her seem frailer and so much smaller. Every so often a small whimper would escape the young woman's lungs and it took every bit of willpower on Genki's part to not break down and cry at seeing his wife in such a pitiful state of being. Under the blankets he could see the bulge of her stomach from her current pregnancy, and every time he noted it, more fear would rip into his mind.

"…Genki?"

Genki felt his eyes widen as he looked down at the exhausted woman that his hand still clung to. Her eyes held a feverish tone to them while her words came out raspy and ridged. With a small gulp, Genki grasped her hand a little tighter as he leaned over so his wife wouldn't have to strain herself talking just as he did every other time she would randomly wake up for short periods of time. Normally, however, her speech was slurred and incoherent. Sometimes she would speak normally, but other times she would wake up and talk in riddles or tongues; leaving Genki extremely frustrated and confused.

"Holly, I'm here. Don't worry; I'm not going to leave you," Genki spoke softly as he used his free hand to brush away a few stray strands of hair from Holly's delicate face. "You're going to be fine."

"Genki… I don't… want to…" Holly whispered hoarsely before another series of painful coughs wracked her body and she shivered violently, though Genki was quick to leap from his seat to grab a spare blanket before placing it over her tiny frame.

"What don't you want to do?" Genki asked gently while he careful tucked the young woman in before taking Holly's hand once more. He spoke as gently and calmly as possible even though he truly only wanted to shout out to the world how he was really feeling.

"…go with _her_," the young woman replied with an empty expression.

"Who, Holly?"

"…my mother…"

Genki felt a sudden pain jab into his gut as he looked down at his sickly wife; the same feeling he got every time this moment happened. She looked torn, as if she was trapped with nowhere to go and no one to be with. Her body, although wrapped up snuggly in blankets, still shook slightly, though Genki had the feeling it was no longer from her being cold. With a low breath of air, Genki slowly scooted a little closer to his wife before placing a comforting hand on her arm while doing his best not to make any sudden movements so as to not startle her.

"What do you mean, Holly?"

"She… she's waiting for me… but… I'm not ready…"

"What aren't you ready for?"

"…I'm not ready… to die... I don't… want to die yet… I really don't…" Holly whispered raggedly as if she were possessed while her feverish eyes seemed to look around the room as if searching for something that wasn't there; as if she was scared to find what she was searching for. "But… she's calling for me… Calling and calling… It's hard to resist…"

"_W-what?_ No, Holly! You're definitely not going to die! I know you want to see your mother and that she wants to see you, but that'll have to wait because we need you here! _I_ need you here!" Genki exclaimed in a worried frenzy as he shot out of his seat before wrapping his arms around Holly's frail body and bringing her close for a warm hug. "I know it's selfish, but I can't let you go, Holly. I just can't…"

"…you call for me, too… Why?" Holly asked as her hollow expression softened as she stayed pressed against her husband's chest without even a struggle; like a limp doll hanging loosely from a young child's embrace.

"Because I love you, Holly, with all my heart," Genki whispered gentle while he stroked the brunette's hair lightly.

"…you're so warm," the young woman spoke groggily as her eyes shut and her breathing became steady; her consciousness lost once again. With a sad sigh, Genki carefully laid his wife back down on the bed before tucking her in once more and taking his usual seat by her bedside. As the young man sat silently watching his ill wife, he whipped around quickly at the sound of the door creaking open, though he relaxed slightly at seeing Yosho step in.

"…how's she doing?" Yosho asked gruffly as he walked to Genki's side before handing the tired man a cup of green tea. He, too, had been waiting each day for his daughter to recover, but so far she only seemed to get worse as time went on. Even the town's doctors could do nothing for her, and so it was but a waiting game now.

"She's still the same. She woke up again, but it was the same as last time when she spoke about her mother calling for her and her being torn on what to do. It's just so frustrating sitting here and not being able to do anything," Genki said sadly with a small thanks for the warm beverage.

"I figured that much. We just need to be patient and remain calm, no matter how tough it may be," Yosho replied with a small sigh as he took a sip of his own tea, fatigue etched in the older man's features.

"It's just… I should have known something was wrong. Like when she asked for us to take a break while walking to the marketplace and she was so out of breath, but I thought it was just from the pregnancy. Or when she stopped walking in the park suddenly. Her breaths were ragged, but she had done a lot of housework that day so I didn't even think twice about it," Genki muttered bitterly while looking down at Holly's slender hand. "I should have known something wasn't right... I'm an awful husband."

"Don't say such things, Genki. I… I felt the same when my wife became ill, but there really was nothing I could do. You can't blame yourself for this and it doesn't make you any less of a husband than you have been. There really was nothing you could do," Yosho spoke with a sad smile while Genki felt his eyes widen in surprise that the older man had opened up to him a little. "Besides, if she knew you've been at her bedside for as long as you have been, she would feel extremely happy knowing she has a man like you in her life. After that, though, she'd scold you for not taking care of yourself."

"I guess… Still, why didn't she tell me she wasn't feeling well?"

"Did you ever think it's because she didn't want you to worry about her?"

The idea had never struck him, honestly. He had thought she was being headstrong and difficult, but there was a chance that she had thought as little of it as he had. Maybe those days she had to take a break from walking or the time she stopped walking in the park, Holly, too, thought it was from the pregnancy. Or maybe she knew something wasn't right and just chose to hide it from her husband. Genki couldn't quite be sure, but something told him that his first intuition was more accurate.

"I never thought of it like that…" Genki whispered as he continued to look down at his hand laced with Holly's limp one.

"Genki… sitting here isn't going to help her, you know. Nor will letting yourself wither away into a skeletal husk. You need to eat and to sleep. You'll be no help to her if you end up sick and dying, too," Yosho spoke up sternly, and Genki had the feeling his suggestions were more of a command.

"But… what if something happens with her and I'm not here?"

"If her eyebrow even flinches, I'll let you know. All of your friends are anxiously waiting to help, as well."

"They are?"

"Who do you think have been doing all of Holly's work and your work since she fell ill? Your friends have been pitching in to keep things running smoothly for us," the older man replied with a sad smile. "Now, go take a bath, get something to eat, and rest a few hours."

"If something happens to her while I'm gone, though, I'd-"

"Nothing will happen without you knowing about it first, okay? Honestly, you and Holly are more alike than you think. You're both so stubborn when it comes to other people. You don't have to take this burden on alone, Genki. You have people here who are ready to take it on with you. Trust me; I won't let anything happen to my daughter while you take a nap. Now, go."

"…alright. But I'm bringing the cot in here so I can still be near her," Genki stated with determination.

"…you're so much like her, it's scary," Yosho chuckled softly. "Fine. Go take a bath and I'll ask Hare to bring the cot up here for you. Golem should be done with dinner soon, too, so grab some food before you come back up here," Yosho explained while Genki weakly nodded his head before walking toward the door, but he stopped when the older man grabbed his wrist. "Oh, and Genki?"

"Yes, sir?"

"…don't lose sight of yourself."

Genki blinked in slight confusion at the older man's words, but when Yosho didn't elaborate further, he slowly nodded his head before taking one last look at his wife. He wished it was like all the other times she had fallen ill, when she would look so peaceful like an angel. This time, though, her face was twisted in an expression varying from extreme fear and absolute agony. Her skin was almost as white as Most's and every so often, her coughing would produce small blotches of blood on her lips and pillowcase. It was like Moo was punishing her from the underworld for helping to defeat him, or so Genki's mind conjured. After a moment of just staring at the young woman, Genki slowly averted his gaze before leaving the room and closing the door behind him quietly. For some reason, everything seemed to hit him at once after he had left the room, and the young man slowly slumped down against the door before burying his face in his hands and sobbing softly.

'_Why is it once everything is going right, something always comes up and ruins it? Why does this keep happening to us?'_ Genki thought bitterly to himself as he let his strong front finally crumble. In the room behind him, a small tear cascaded down Holly's face as time seemed to stop and fate brought their world crashing down all around them, though just as Yosho said, there was nothing either of them could do about it.

* * *

><p>So, yeah. A bit of drama, but not as bad as I thought it would be. This chapter was very slightly hinted in the K chapter, where Holly said "If this is the treatment I get for a little light-headedness, I can only imagine how I'll be treated if I ever get really sick." So her answer for that would be all the rebels would pitch in to do her work for her and Genki would wait wearily by her side for days on end. XD Now, I need to get moving on the T chapter. That one will also be a downer chapter. After that, though, I have no idea what's going to happen. XD I'm not the best chapter planner for stories, that's for sure. Thanks for reading!<p>

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	20. T: Tragedy

Drama/angst time! Whoo! XD Not really my usual writing style since I'm more into fluffy humor, but this chapter I had planned since around the third chapter, so I just had to write it and get it over with. I don't really know if you'd consider this one a tearjerker chapter or not. I have yet to write one of those. XD

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**T: Tragedy**

Genki let out a tired breath of air as he used the back of his hand to wipe away some stray sweat from his warm forehead. Dust from sanding down a large slab of stone caked the young man's arms and clothing, but he really didn't care anymore. The rain outside fell heavily as it pounded on the roof of the shed he was currently sitting in and slid down the windows; the sky being a dreary gray color that seemed to drag on forever. With a small yawn, Genki stretched his weary arms before grabbing his chisel and beginning to chip away skillfully at the stone slab laid before him. He had to admit, he was good at it. He had become quite the handyman in his years living in the world of the monsters. He never thought he'd be doing a job like he was now, though.

"Hey, Genki! I brought you some water," Hare announced as he strolled into the shed with a clean cup of water in his hands. A look of sympathy crossed the rabbit monster's face as he watched his friend working hard, though it was easy to see the pain he was suffering from.

"…thanks," Genki mumbled as he took the cup of water before taking a swig of it.

"Ya know, Genki, if you ever need a place to stay or someone to talk to, I'm always here and so are the others. We'll always be here to-"

"I know, okay? You've told me that a billion times already! I don't need your goddamn sympathy and pity!" Genki shouted irritable while a dark shadow crossed over his face, but he felt himself mentally curse as he watched Hare physically flinch from the outburst before his expression faltered. "Hare… I'm sorry. Really, I didn't mean that. I really do appreciate all the support you've given me."

"It's alright. I… I know this hasn't been an easy time on you. If there's anything we can do, though, don't hesitate to ask," Hare replied with a sad smile as he gave the young man a comforting pat on the back before walking out into the steady rain.

"Yeah… I will…" Genki whispered quietly to himself. It almost felt like yesterday that he was spinning Holly around in her wedding dress and they were buying their first house together. It had been so happy, yet now their lives were but a shadow of what they once were. He still couldn't believe Holly had, though just barely, survived her plaguing illness that kept her bedridden for several long months. He should have been happy she was alive. He should have been giving her kisses and hugs every morning. He should have been thrilled to hear her voice and to stare into her eyes. Yet, he wasn't. It wasn't more of that he wouldn't do these things; it was more that he _couldn't_. He honestly couldn't bear to look at his own wife. As the young man continued to etch markings in the slab of stone, he gritted his teeth as the chisel slipped from his hands and clattered lightly on the ground.

"Damn it…" Genki cursed weakly as he slowly picked up the utensil before staring down at it bitterly. With an angry scowl, the young man whipped the chisel irritably at the wall, leaving it to hit the wall and clatter harmlessly to the ground below. His breathing was ragged and strained, but he didn't care. He didn't want this life anymore. He wanted things to back to the way they once were. The days when he would wake up to Holly's wonderful cooking or when the couple would walk hand in hand around the park. He missed her bright smile, the sound of her laugh, and the smell of her hair.

"…I didn't listen to you, Yosho... I lost sight of myself," the young man spoke quietly as he looked down at his stinging hands. He had been working tirelessly for weeks on his current project, though part of him knew the main reason was to avoid his wife. He knew it was cowardly and was rather shallow, but he just couldn't face her. Better yet, he was sure she didn't want to face _him_.

"Genki!"

Genki quickly whipped around at the sound of his voice being called, and he was surprised when Mocchi flew into the shed out of breath and wet from the cold rain; his little body looking worse for wear as he was covered in mud. "Mocchi? What's going on?"

"It's Holly, chi!"

"_W-what?_ What's wrong with her? Is she okay?" Genki asked frantically as fear coursed in his mind.

"She's sitting on the roof, chi! We don't know what she's doing, but Hare said she might do something rash and to get you, chi!" Mocchi exclaimed with what little breath his lungs still held. He didn't have time to speak another word, anyways, because Genki had already bolted out the door and took off toward the house. The rain stung like little needles and blinded his vision, but Genki ignored it as he tore into the house and ran upstairs to find the other rebels and Yosho huddled around in a circle. They're attention was averted, however, when the young man approached the group with a fearful look playing across his face.

"Genki, good timing! Listen, Holly-"

"I heard from Mocchi. Why is she on the roof?" Genki asked in worry.

"We really have no idea. We've tried to coax her down, but she won't listen and we're nervous that if we try and climb up there to grab her, she may slip or… well…" Hare trailed off nervously.

"You don't think she'd _jump_, do you?" Yosho asked gruffly.

"I mean, I sure hope not, but it would explain why she's on the roof in the rain in the first place," the rabbit monster admitted with a frown.

"Holly is not… like that," Golem stated softly.

"I agree with Golem. Holly's never struck me as the kind of person who would take her own life," Tiger spoke up sternly, though his confidence was lessened by the fear in his eyes.

"People do some horrible things when a tragedy happens in their lives, and for a woman to have something happen to their child, it's the worst pain imaginable. For Holly to have a _stillbirth_, it could have really set her over the edge," Hare sighed sadly while the other rebels felt their hearts sink at the rabbit monster's words.

"…Genki, she might listen to you," Suezo spoke up suddenly while the young man flinched.

"…I think I'm the last person she wants to see," Genki frowned, but his eyes widened when Suezo grabbed the collar of his shirt before forcing him to lean forward.

"I don't want to hear you talk like this! You and Holly both have been avoiding each other because you both think the other doesn't want to see them! You have to break the cycle! You just _have_ to!" Suezo shouted angrily, but his eye slowly began to get glassy as the eyeball monster held back a sob that desperately wanted to escape from his throat. "Genki… I'm askin- no, I'm _begging_ you to talk to her. Please, Genki…"

For Suezo to beg for help, Genki felt his stomach drop at watching the distraught monster. No one could understand the tension of raw emotion that was happening between him and his wife, and truthfully, he didn't quite understand it either. They had gone through a horrible tragedy that left both of them broken, yet both avoided asking the other for help healing. He often thought about opening up to Holly, yet every time he saw those empty eyes flash his way, he would freeze up and retreat back into his shell. Now, though, there was a real reason to finally talk. Maybe Holly knew this and only did this in hopes of talking with him or maybe she really was tempted to jump. Genki couldn't quite be sure, but he couldn't let his fear stop him any longer.

"…alright, I'll go talk to her. I just hope she'll listen…" Genki spoke quietly as he gave Suezo's head a friendly pat before he opened up the window and climbed out into the cold and wet weather. The sides of the house were slippery, but the young man skillfully scaled the house until he reached the rooftop with a relieved sigh. At the very end, Holly sat quietly like a still statue; her body unmoving and her eyes hollow, the once powerful spark they held had fizzled out. With a small gulp, the young man slowly began to make his way over to his beloved, all the while being careful not to slip, for the way down was a long one.

"Holly?" Genki called out gently to ensure she knew his presence was there, but not enough to startle her and make her slip off the edge. Her body seemed to tense up, but she didn't call back to him or even glance over in his direction. Taking that as a sign that she wasn't going to jump, Genki slowly made his way over to her side before he sat down next to the shivering young woman who was completely soaked.

"…you're going to get sick again if you stay out here," Genki spoke up quietly.

"…maybe," Holly whispered softly while her gaze stayed focused at the dark sky.

"Well,_ I_ don't want you to get sick again," the young man replied awkwardly as he scooted a little closer to his wife and when she didn't move away, he took it as a good sign.

"…why does it matter anymore? I really don't know," the wielder of the Magic Stone spoke sternly as her hands clenched into tight fists.

"It matters to me… _you_ matter to me."

"I shouldn't matter to you anymore."

"Why would you say something like that?"

"Because… _I_ lost _our _child."

Genki physically flinched at Holly's words, for hearing the hard truth come from her mouth was one of the most painful things imaginable. He still could remember the day it happened and how frightening it had been. He remembered the doctors yelling in the midst of all the chaos, yet he was too focused on Holly's limp hand he was holding and all the blood on the sheets to even hear what they were saying. All that _blood_. He had been sure she was dead and when the doctors forced him out of the room, he had been so confused and disorientated. Genki couldn't remember why, but he remembered one of the doctors telling him everything would be alright and he remembered turning to them and bitterly replying "just how the hell do you know?". The wait had been so agonizing, though he thanked his lucky stars his friends had been there with him the whole time. He had watched as Yosho paced the floor, his once hard expression turned into one of fear and helplessness. Just as _he _felt.

When the doors to Holly's room had opened, Genki had felt such relief when the doctor told him his wife would make it. When he heard Holly screaming, though, his entire world had spun. He had to admit, if anything in the world ever shattered his heart, it was the image of Holly cradling a bloody bundle in her arms while sobbing uncontrollably with tears streaming down her cheeks. They weren't tears of joy. And just like that, the would-be parents had their hopes torn from them so quickly that it took days for it to finally sink in; to finally realize they weren't going to be parents any longer. It was too much to bear.

"It wasn't your fault, Holly. Sometimes things just happen that we have no control over," Genki spoke up soothingly while he slowly brought the soaked woman into a weak hug, though she didn't try to escape it.

"…it _was_ my fault. I wish _I_ had died instead of our child," Holly muttered bitterly as she subconsciously snuggled up against her husband for support. "I know you feel the same way, too."

"Don't speak like that! And how could you ever think I would feel that way?"

"…because you've been avoiding me. You don't want to see me anymore."

"I… It's not like that at all, Holly. I've just have a lot of… inner turmoil I've had to deal with and I didn't want to burden you because I knew you were feeling the same way. I just didn't want to overwhelm you or to make you any more upset," Genki explained with an apologetic glance down at the brunette in his arms.

"…but, this whole time, all I've wanted was for you to talk to me. I just wanted to see you, but you kept avoiding me. Are… are you going to leave me again?" Holly whimpered quietly, and for a brief moment her eyes flashed with an emotion other than sorrow. Her question was answered, though, when Genki hugged her tighter before burying his face against the nape of neck.

"I'll _never_ leave you, Holly. _Ever._ I love you too much to ever leave you."

"…promise?" Holly squeaked softly.

"Yeah, it' a promise."

"…okay, I believe you," the young woman smiled weakly while Genki stroked her wet hair with his free hand. It was hard, yet somehow Genki's promises always seemed to have a positive effect on the young woman, and she could never find it in herself to doubt them.

"Can I ask you something?" Genki asked with curiosity.

"Sure. What is it?"

"Why were you on the roof? Were you really going to jump?"

"What? Of course not. I came up here because… well… it always seems to rain whenever bad things happen, yet this time I felt I needed to feel the rain. I thought maybe it would help take away this pain," Holly admitted with a sad smile while her body shivered from the cold.

"Well, I don't want you to get sick again, so let's go inside and I'll make us some tea," Genki grinned softly while extending his hand out for his wife to take, in which she complied.

"That would be nice," the brunette replied quietly and her husband began to lead them back down so they could climb back through the window, though she blinked in surprise when Genki suddenly stopped walking.

"You know, Holly…"

"Yes?"

"Just because things didn't work this time, doesn't mean we can't try again someday."

Holly felt her heart pound briefly for a moment until Genki helped to lead her down the side of the house and back through the window where they had come from. As the other rebels crowded around to ensure Holly was alright, the young woman couldn't help but catch Genki's gaze, and she felt a smile work its way up to her face before she flashed him a tired, yet genuine look before speaking words only he would understand.

"Only if you're up to it."

* * *

><p>So, Holly had a stillbirth. That was way more angst than I can handle. XP If you didn't pick up on it, Genki is carving out a tombstone for the lost child at the beginning of the chapter. ;_; But in a way, the ending is a little happier since they made amends and whatnot. Thanks so much for reading! ^_^<p>

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	21. U: Umbrella

Sorry this is so late! School has been keeping me so busy and stressed. XD At this point in this story, time is going to fly _very_ fast! Just be prepared for jumps of years here. Like this one takes place roughly 7 or so years after "Tragedy". Enjoy! ^_^

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**U: Umbrella**

"Man, look at it pour outside! Looks like the world's gonna flood!" A purebred Zuum spoke up while his eyes stared intently outside the dirt speckled window to watch the heavy rain blanket the sky. A group of monsters and humans alike worked hard inside a large building littered with broken machines and various tools. The air smelt of oil and rust, but it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. The workers there were skilled and trusted by all the townsfolk of Toriyama, and people from all around the area would visit the shop for assistance and repairs.

"Yeah, we should think about closin' up shop. No one's gonna want to get anything fixed in this kind of weather," a Rock Ape grumbled while tightening the last bolt on a rather beaten up Iron Bird. "Go home, guys. You've worked hard enough for the day."

"You sure? I could always rewire the front cables so the Spirit Capsule will work again in this thing," a man covered in debris spoke up as he crawled out from underneath the Iron Bird, his clothes patched with rust and his skin smeared with oil.

"Genki, you work too hard. Go home to that family of yours. We can always work on this thing in the morning and besides, I'm sure that pretty wife of yours would love to see you home early," the Rock Ape chuckled softly before grabbing a jacket and flinging it over his shoulders. With one last smile to his workers, the Ape hybrid left the shop without a word and the rest of the workers were quick to follow suit. Genki let out a sigh as he finished locking the place up before digging through his backpack, but a grumble exited his lips as couldn't find what he was looking for.

'_Damn, I must have forgotten my umbrella back home even after Holly reminded me about it all morning, too. She's not gonna let me live this down,'_ Genki thought with a flustered expression as he forcefully dug through his bag in hopes that maybe he had just missed the item, but to no avail.

"Looking for this?"

Genki blinked in surprise as the melodic sound of his wife's voice drifted in his ears and he was quick to turn around to see Holly standing behind him with a playful smile on her face and his blue umbrella in her hands. The brunette held the item out for her husband to take, in which he did, though not without a questioning gaze.

"What are you doing here?" Genki asked in surprise at the new arrival.

"I saw you left your umbrella at home so I came here to bring it to you so you wouldn't have to walk home in the rain," Holly replied with a warm smile.

"But, I got out early! How did you know to be here at this time?"

"I didn't. Sometimes your boss lets you out early when the weather is bad so I just assumed he'd do the same today. I've just been hanging around here waiting for you," the woman spoke calmly, her smile ever present.

A frown found its way to Genki's face as he clenched the umbrella in his hands tightly while looking down at his wife with worry. "Holly… you're not supposed to go out when the weather is bad, remember? What if you get sick again? And what about Isamu?"

"And you're not supposed to leave home when it's supposed to rain without your umbrella," Holly joked while flashing her husband a sparkling smile. "Really, Genki, I'm fine. I've been careful and I stayed under the umbrella the whole time I've been out here, I promise. And Isamu is with Golem right now, so she's safe and is probably testing his patience."

Genki nodded softly to his wife's response before he felt a smile cross his lips as he opened the umbrella up before motioning for Holly to join him underneath the weather shield, in which she was quick to accept. The young man could feel his smile grow as his wife snuggled up against his side while hooking arms with him and Genki was quick to intertwine their hands so they were snuggly pressed up against one another like a perfect fit to a puzzle. It wasn't every day the married couple had the chance to enjoy such peaceful moments, but the treasured every second they received.

"So, how was work today?" Holly asked her husband while doing her best to stay close to him while avoiding large puddles of murky water that had collection from the downpour. "I know you've been mentioning a new project you're working on."

"It wasn't too bad. We're just fixing up an old Iron Bird that was salvaged from the first war we fought in against Moo. The thing's so battered that I don't even know if we'll be able to get it working again, though," Genki admitted with a shrug.

"You're the best mechanic I know. I'm sure you'll get it working eventually."

"You have too much faith in me."

"No, you don't need faith with the skill you have."

The rain coated the empty streets of Toriyama like a sheet and the only people walking in the midst of the wet environment were a lone couple under a blue umbrella. The rain made a pitter-patter sound as it hit the umbrella and slid off to the ground below; the people underneath shielded by the mass of water.

"…father use to like these kinds of rainy days. It would give him an excuse not to work outdoors so he could, instead, play cards and drink his special whisky. I mean, I'm happy he was alive when Isamu was born, but I miss him a lot…" Holly spoke up with a sad smile, though her heart skipped a beat as she felt a small comforting squeeze to her hand.

"Yeah, we had a lot of fun on these kinds of days after he accepted me into his family. Do you know he use to cheat when playing cards?" Genki grinned while Holly looked at him with disbelief.

"No way! Really?"

"Yeah. I use to see him slip cards out from his sleeves all the time whenever he thought I wasn't looking."

"Did you ever call him out on it?"

"No, never. Most times, even when he didn't cheat, I'd still let him win. I didn't mind forking over a few gold coins if it meant him having fun and feeling some glory. I mean, life was always hard for him, you know? After all he went through, I didn't mind letting him show me up at cards even if he'd gloat for weeks on end," Genki chuckled softly. "He used to think I completely sucked at playing cards which is why he always wanted to play with me."

"I never knew that… Thank you for doing that for him," Holly smiled while looking up at her husband with loving eyes. "That means a lot to me that you would do something like that for him."

"Ah, it was fun for me, too. Your father had the best drunk gloating dance I've ever seen in my life."

"Ug, don't remind me…"

"Remember when he did his dance in the front yard while stripping?"

"Okay, I don't need a reminder of that!"

Genki chuckled as he watched his wife blush in embarrassment at the memory, his hand still laced with hers while his other hand still held tightly onto the umbrella that was shielding them from the elements. "Time goes by so fast, doesn't it?"

"I can't believe it's already been five years that he's been gone. It feels like just yesterday he was drinking tea with me and coaching you on how to treat women," Holly stifled a sad giggle at the thought of Genki having to sit through many of Yosho's lectures on marriage and even sexual relationships. "I miss him so much…"

"I miss him, too. He's still with us, though. I bet he's the one making it rain right now," the young man replied while giving his wife a loving smile.

"Why would he do that?"

"So we could have this moment together."

Before Holly could reply, Genki was already leaning down to kiss her tenderly on the lips. The woman's eyes widened in surprise as he swooped her down to deepen the kiss, but she was quick to close her eyes and to lean in further. The umbrella dropped to the ground as Genki, instead, used that hand to run his fingers through Holly's wet hair while the woman responded by moaning softly, the rain falling no longer even noticed by the couple. Before the two could completely escape into their own slice of paradise, however, Holly slowly broke away from her husband, but not before flashing him a playful smile.

"…race you back to the house?"

"Will anyone be home?"

"No."

"Then you're on."

With a large grin, Genki took off down the muddy road with Holly close behind, the both of them laughing like young children who had played a prank on their teacher the entire time; the blue umbrella laying abandoned in the middle of the road. Genki couldn't tell for sure, but he could have sworn he heard a deep voice chuckle in the wind, but he brushed it off as only his imagination.

* * *

><p>Short one! So, yeah, at this point Genki and Holly did, in fact, have a daughter. Considering this takes place around 7 years after "Tragedy" and because Yosho was still alive when their daughter was born, Isamu would be around 6 or so years old. Isamu is Japanese for "courage", and why I chose that is kind of obvious. XD This story revolves around Holly and Genki, though, which is why their daughter isn't a big part. This chapter is more so saying that although memories can be sad, you have to enjoy the good memories and to enjoy life to its fullest. ^_^ But Yosho is still watching over them. ^_^<p>

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	22. V: Vitality

Late again… I need to start budgeting my time a little better. XD Yup, many more years have passed now. The first ¾ of this story went by a little slower since it was mainly Genki and Holly learning and becoming a real couple, but now that they're married and have a daughter, time is going to fly super-fast so brace yourselves! We're leaping through time for these last few chapters. ^_^ In this one about 9 years have passed since the last one, making Holly around 37 and Genki around 34.

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**V: Vitality**

Genki yawned tiredly as he hoisted his worn bag over his shoulder before locking up work and heading down the dirt road that lead to the heart of Toriyama. The air was warm and pleasant due to the outbreak of spring, though this only made it harder for him to roll out of bed to go to work. It was true; he missed the days of being a kid when he didn't have the cares of work, money, or getting old. Of course, fighting for your life against the most evil monster ever to walk the planet was not an easy task, but Genki would be lying if he said it wasn't exciting and even sometimes fun. No matter what, though, he didn't regret any part of his life except for not telling Holly his feelings sooner.

The town of Toriyama was full of people trying to get home after a hard day of work, so Genki had to weave and dodge past people just like he did every day in order to get home to his family. He didn't mind the routine anymore, for everyday he cherished the moment of walking through those wooden doors to be met with a warm hug from is daughter and a tender kiss from his wife. After that, though, the routine would end and would either shift to having "growing up talks" with Isamu, who would always look pale by the end of them, or being guilted into fixing something in the house by his lovely wife. It always kept life interesting.

"I'm home!" Genki called out merrily as he flung the door to his house open; a grin plastered on his face as he put his work bag down while preparing for the oncoming hugs and kisses he would surely receive. After a moment of no one flinging themselves into his arms, however, Genki couldn't help but blink in confusion. After a second, the man slowly began to think back to calculate if he was right with his routine, in which he found he had been. He had gotten up, walked to work, worked the whole day, walked back home, and normally the routine would end with being greeted by his two lovely girls. Something was definitely off.

"Holly? Isamu?" Genki called out as he slowly began to ascend the stairs in hopes of finding his family; each step he took causing the stairs to creak in protest and he was surprised Holly hadn't asked him to fix them yet.

"…Dad?" The quiet sound of his daughter caught Genki's attention and the man was quick to speed walk to Isamu's bedroom door before knocking softly on the wooden surface.

"Isamu? Can I come in?"

"Yeah, sure."

Genki felt a weary sigh of relief exit his mouth, for he had started to think something bad had happened while he was away. The father smiled as he opened the door before slipping in and glancing down at his daughter, who was currently reading on her bed. Sometimes he would find himself second glancing at his daughter, for she looked so much like Holly when she was a young teenager. Her eyes were clear like her father's, however, and she had a combined stubborn streak in her from both her parents.

"How was work?" Isamu asked as her gray eyes glanced away from her book for a moment to look up at her father. "I heard from Uncle Hare that you're gonna get a promotion soon!"

"Work was alright. If I get that promotion, I'll take you and your mother out for a huge dinner," Genki replied with a smile that his daughter was quick to match. "So, how was school?"

"Boring, as usual. Why do I even have to go?"

"You need to go so you can get an education which will help you out in your future. I know what it's like being 14 years old and having to go a horrid place like school, but it'll all be worth it. You get the 'hating school' attitude from me," Genki chuckled before sitting at the edge of his daughter's bed, and he could see Isamu tense up before looking at him with pleading eyes.

"Dad, I really don't need another one of your 'talks', honest!" Isamu blurted out, for normally when her father would sit with her it resulted in one of his awkward coming of age speeches.

"Aw, but I love giving them," Genki fake pouted while his daughter playfully hit him on the arm, causing Genki to rub the spot that had just been assaulted. "Gees, I swear you get your right-hook from your mother!"

"Is that a good thing?"

"Definitely," Genki flashed his daughter a wryly smile, but it faltered slightly as he remembered his original reason for coming to her room in the first place. "But really, I didn't come here to give you one of my famous 'talks'. I was just a little… well… _worried_. Normally you and your mother greet me when I come home and you didn't today."

"Oh…" the young girl trailed off quietly and her eyes went downcast.

"…Isamu? What's wrong, sweetie?" Genki asked quietly and he slowly scooted over a little closer to the young girl with worry written all over his face. "Come on, Isamu. What's bothering you?"

"I… I said something really mean to mom today," the young girl sighed with guilt.

"What do you mean?"

"…"

"_Isamu_."

"Alright…I called her an old fogey," Isamu admitted sullenly while Genki could only sigh before burying his face in his hands. Of all the things that he could come home to, this was one situation he really wasn't looking forward to.

"Oh, Isamu… Why would you say something like that to her? You know how she gets when people say things like that to her. Did you apologize?" Genki spoke through his hands; his voice coming out muffled but still audible.

"…no. I want to, but I don't know what to say! Dad, can you talk to her first?" Isamu pleaded while grasping her father's hand and staring up at him with her wavering clear eyes. "I really didn't mean what I said, but it just slipped out after she told me I couldn't get a body piercing!"

"_Body piercing?_"

"Come on, dad! Not you, too! It's only my belly button!"

"I'll talk to your mother about you hurting her feelings, but I would fight Moo six times over before I let you get a body piercing!" Genki scowled while getting off the bed and heading out the door; not even noticing his daughter glowering at him on his way out.

* * *

><p>"Any wrinkles?"<p>

"No."

"Gray hairs?"

"None."

"Sagging?"

"Come on, Holly! Don't keep doing this to yourself!" Genki exclaimed while watching his wife pace their bedroom floor in deep thought.

"You didn't answer my question! Does that mean I'm really starting to sag?" Holly moaned before flopping down on their bed and letting out an agitated groan. "I knew it! Ah, what am I going to do?"

"What? No! You're not _sagging_ anywhere! Holly, really, you can't let Isamu's comment get to you like this! She was just upset about the whole body piercing thing," Genki spoke up while Holly gave him a stern look, in which he was quick to cough nervously before giving her a thumbs up. "In which I completely support your decision."

"Oh, Genki. It's not just her comment. It's just… Granity came to visit me earlier today and she looks like she hasn't aged a day. While we were walking through town someone commented how beautiful she looks and how, well, _plain_ I am. It's true, though. For her, she can still battle enemies just as good, if not better than back in the war against Moo. With me, though, I can't do the things I use to be able to do. I can't travel miles on end or fight against Baddies," Holly spoke with a bitter smile on her face. "I guess I'm just feeling less useful now that I'm older. I'm not 14 years old anymore and with each passing day, I only grow older. Ah, I'm such an old bat."

"Aw, Holly, don't feel this way! Hey, I'm not getting any younger, either! And it's not fair to compare yourself to anyone. You're absolutely stunning, Holly, and I really mean that," Genki smiled softly while lying down next to her and intertwining their hands. "And being in your late 30's isn't even old! I don't even know why Isamu would say something like that."

"…you don't have to say that to make me feel better, Genki."

"I'm speaking the truth. It's true; you're not the same 14 year old girl I first met when I came to this world, but that's not a bad thing. Honestly, Holly, to me you get more beautiful every day and that's never going to change," the man spoke before leaning forward to kiss his wife gently on the cheek.

"…you really mean that?"

"Of course."

"…thank you," Holly whispered softly as she snuggled up closer to her husband; the smell of oil and leather on his clothing not deterring her away.

"Hey, I love you and I hate it when you're upset," Genki said with a smile before a playful glimmer shone in his eyes. "And hey, just because we're getting older doesn't mean we're not still young on the inside. I mean, you still give me a run for my money in bed…"

"Genki! You're so dirty!" Holly giggled while playfully punching her husband's arm, which caused him to rub the sore spot after.

"Owch, you and Isamu have the most brutal right-hooks! She already got me there today!" Genki faked a pitiful whine. "I swear you trained her to do that!"

"Oh! Tee hee! Sorry!"

"Speaking of Isamu… We need to punish her for insulting you earlier."

"I suppose… What do you have in mind?"

"Well… Since we're getting 'old' in her book, I guess we could always have her pull up all the weeds in the yard. I mean, I might hurt my back doing it in my old age," Genki grinned while Holly giggled softly.

"I think that sounds fair enough."

"I don't want to go too hard on her since when I'm_ really_ old, I'll need her to change my adult diaper."

"…I don't have a comment for that, Genki."

"That's alright. I'll take your moment of silence as a chance to do this…" Genki trailed off as he wrapped his arms around Holly's slender body before running his hand through her hair and bringing his lips down against hers. He could feel his wife relax under his touch and the soft moan that exited her lips was enough to let him know that he may not be the perfect guy, but he was doing something right. Genki gently slid his other hand underneath Holly's shirt, in which she didn't oppose the action, and the feel of her soft skin under his fingertips sent chills up his spine. What he spoke earlier was the truth; Holly really was more beautiful in his eyes with each passing day and he felt his smile increase as she let out a sigh of happiness. The sound of a clearing throat broke the married couple out of their world of bliss, though, and they looked up awkwardly at their teenage daughter who was standing uncomfortably by the door.

"So… now that mom's alright, does this mean I can get a body piercing?"

* * *

><p>I actually had some fun with this one. Genki is definitely easily swayed by his two girls. He's such a sucker. XD I love writing Holly and Genki as parents and I already have plans to write them again as parents in a future story. They're just so cute! XD And Isamu wasn't trying to be mean, she just has the slight denseness that Genki had when he was younger, like during the episode "After the Rain" when Genki didn't get the hint to not pursue hearing Holly's story. She's her father's kid, that's for sure. XD Thanks again for reading and reviewing!<p>

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	23. W: Warm

This time of year is the busiest for me, so I apologize for the lateness and rushing of this chapter. Lets' see… This chapter takes place about 10 years after the last chapter; putting Holly at around age 47 and Genki around age 43. We're getting down to the end now! 3 more official chapters left (and a couple of bonus ones, too!). ^_^ I know it's not winter, but it got really cold today (I had to scrape frost off my car XP) so that inspired me to write this one.

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**W: Warm**

"Brr… This cold weather is brutal this year! Its times like this I wish this world had heaters!"

"Oh… um… what are heaters again?"

Genki smiled softly as he looked down at his wife, who was currently trudging through the knee-high wet snow while trying to keep up with her husband. Winter days in Toriyama were always peaceful and calm, but they were also cold and damp. Snow littered the quiet streets while small white flakes fell gently from the sky; each flake landing soundlessly on the ground below. It was also Yosho's birthday, so Holly had insisted going to visit his grave despite the cold weather and Genki wasn't about to let his wife go alone. Genki watched Holly's warm breath mixing with the cool air and he subconsciously began to walk a little closer to his wife in hopes of maybe dispelling a bit of the cold.

"Heaters are these things from my world that warm up buildings without needing a fire. It's all electric or gas powered," Genki spoke while doing his best to come up with a decent description, but knowing full well he could never really get his wife to understand. As usual, though, she nodded her head and pretended to fully comprehend her husband's words.

"Ah, I see. That sounds quite handy," Holly replied with a smile, but she let out a small yelp as she lost her balance before stumbling forward and landing on her knees; her gloved hands outstretched to help break her fall. Within a millisecond, Genki was already at her side while helping her up to her feet, his face etched with worry.

"Holly, are you alright?" Genki asked in concern while keeping a firm grip on his wife's arm.

"Oh, I'm fine, Genki. Really, the snow broke my fall," Holly spoke while brushing snow off the front of her pants while a shiver went down her spine from the cool air.

"Now your pants are soaked and so are your gloves! You're gonna get sick!" Genki scolded just like Holly always did in these kinds of situations.

"I'll be fine, really! My pants aren't that wet and I'll just take my gloves off," Holly spoke while taking off her wet gloves and stuffing them into her purse.

"You don't have any pockets you can put your hands into, so now they'll freeze."

"Then I'll just tuck my hands under my arms for warmth."

"And how will you keep your balance like that?"

"If you have a better idea, I'd like to hear it!"

Genki grinned at his wife's words before he took one of his gloves off and handed it to Holly. The brunette glanced at the man with a questioning look, but after seeing him flash her another smile, she slowly put the oversized glove on her hand. Before Holly could question her husband considering they both had an exposed hand now, Genki grabbed his wife's bare hand with his own ungloved hand before shoving both their hands into his warm pants pocket.

"See? Now we're both warm!" Genki grinned while continuing to walk in the dense snow and almost dragging Holly along.

"W-wait! This won't work! My hand in your pocket like this looks really perverted! See the glances we're getting?" Holly whispered hoarsely while blushing madly as she noted several people giving the married couple questioning glances.

"Oh, now your face is red! Are you too warm now?" Genki asked his wife with a raised eyebrow.

"Um, yes! I'm way over heated now, so you can take my hand out of your pocket," Holly lied with a hesitant laugh in hopes of ending her husband's warming up plan.

"Oooh, wrong answer! I know you're freezing and that you're just saying that because you're embarrassed," the young man grinned mischievously. "You need to relax a little and enjoy the walk."

"Of course I'm embarrassed! It looks like I'm giving you a _hand job!_" Holly exclaimed; her entire face flushing an even darker shade of red while she tried to pull her hand out of her husband's pocket, but to no avail. "We can't be walking around in public like this! It's not decent!"

"I would rather be publically humiliated than to let you get frostbite, so no matter how much you struggle, you won't get your hand out of my pocket," Genki smiled softly while continuing to march across town.

"I appreciate you trying to help keep me warm, but I'm fine! Really!"

"That's great to hear, but I'm still not letting your hand go."

"Grrr… You're so frustrating sometimes!"

"Sometimes? I thought I was always frustrating, so I guess I'm improving!"

"Oooh, now you're just trying to annoy me!"

"Well, maybe a _little_…"

"Ugg, Genki! Why do you have to be so stubborn?" Holly whined softly, but her eyes widened in horror as she realized they were about to walk by the town's elementary school. "Dear Phoenix, Genki! We absolutely_ cannot_ walk by the school like _this!_ This was kind of funny before, but now it's serious! Do you know the uproar we'd create? The example we would set? People will think we're dirty!"

"Ah, so the kids will learn about relationships at a younger age. What's the big deal?" Genki replied while still trudging through the snow with a reluctant Holly in tow. "In my world people learn about relationships at a young age anyways. Plus when it all comes down to it, we're not even doing anything. We're just walking with your hand in my pocket. It'll be fine!"

"No, it won't be fine! Isamu just got a job there as a teacher! She'll never forgive us if we walk by the school looking like we're doing something sexual! She'll be so angry!"

"But we're not doing anything bad at all!"

"That's not the point! She won't know what and neither will anyone else! She'll hate us!"

"Well… I suppose you have a point," Genki spoke softly, and Holly felt relief sweep through her entire body and for a smile to play upon her lips. Finally, it was all ending!

"Oh, Genki, I knew you wouldn't do-"

"-but I'd never forgive myself if you got frostbite, Holly, so on we march!"

"_GENKI!_"

* * *

><p>"…Genki?"<p>

"Yeah, Holly?"

"I don't think Isamu will be coming over for dinner tonight or for a while, for that matter."

Genki sighed softly as he looked down at his wife's sour mood. After the uproar the married couple had caused at the school and the fury unleashed by their daughter, Genki and Holly continued to trudge to Yosho's grave even though their spirits weren't high. The graveyard was covered in snow, just like the rest of Toriyama, and Genki was quick to drag Holly along to Yosho's resting place before dusting the snow off the cold slab of stone. After a moment of silence, Genki slowly cleared his throat before giving his wife's hand, which was still trapped in his pants pocket, a gentle squeeze.

"I'm sorry about today. I just didn't want you to get sick again," Genki spoke while flashing Holly an apologetic glance. "Really, if I knew the school would freak out that much and that Isamu would almost be foaming at the mouth from anger, I wouldn't have done that."

"…it's alright. Sure, we look like the worse role models in town and our daughter is furious with us, but I guess it was kind of funny," the woman chuckled softly. "And besides, I should be thanking you. I didn't get frostbite and I've been warm all day, so thank you."

"Hey, anytime," Genki grinned while squeezing her hand gently. "You know, I bet your father has been having a blast watching us today. He's probably the one you made you trip so all this would happen. You know how much he loved a good show on his birthdays."

"True! He probably set this all up! I just hope he can find a way to make it up to his granddaughter for being dragged into it!" Holly giggled. "I'm just glad Hare or Suezo didn't see us. We would never hear the end of it from them," the woman smiled softly, but confusion washed over her as she felt Genki finally release her hand.

"I'm not gonna force you to keep your hand in my pocket anymore since the sun is coming out, so it shouldn't be too cold on our walk back," Genki spoke with a smile, but he was more surprised when Holly grabbed his hand again and smiled playfully.

"Actually, my hand is still cold. Is it okay if I keep it in your pocket a little while longer?" Holly spoke with a wryly smile on her face while her cheeks were tinted pink, though Genki couldn't tell if it was from the cold air or from her being bashful.

"I don't see why not, but on one condition," Genki spoke in a serious tone while his wife gave him a puzzled look.

"And what would that be?"

"Next time, I get to put _my_ hand in _your_ pocket."

* * *

><p>Sorry this one was so short. And random. I really have no idea what caused this plot to form in my mind, but it was a fun one to write. I love adult Holly and Genki. They're bantering is just a lot of fun to play with and I'm gonna miss it when this story is over. Thank you for reading this! ^_^<p>

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	24. X: Xenodochial

So much for finishing this story over my spring break. XD Okay! So we're getting toward the end here! Two more chapters to go! Let's see… about 20 years have passed since the last chapter, so Holly would be around 67 and Genki around 63. Oh, do you know how hard it was to think of a word starting with the letter "X" that wasn't "x-ray"? Damn hard, that's what. XD

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**X: Xenodochial**

"Are you sure it's alright? I don't want to be a bother…"

"No, please come in! We have plenty of room!"

A purebred Dino flashed a toothy grin at the older woman who had just welcomed him into her home before bowing respectfully and entering the wooden structure. His legs were sore from the long trek to Toriyama and his traveling pack was caked in mud. With the inn being full of other travelers who had swarmed into the town for the annual "Defeat of Moo" festival, he had been sure he was, once again, out of luck. That changed, however, when he had almost walked into a wheelchair-bound old woman. She seemed far too small, her legs covered by a tartan blanket and her hunched shoulders covered with a thin coat that appeared to be too large for her small frame. Muddy furrows in the grass showed where she had left the path and forced her chair to travel away from the mass of people, most likely to avoid being pushed over or slammed into. After that, it was almost as if she had known of the Dino's plight and before he knew it, he was accepting free room and board from a complete stranger.

"Thank you very much for your hospitality, ma'am. You're very kind," the Dino smiled as he looked around the home he had been welcomed into while noting the vast amount of trinkets and artifacts scattered about the place. A shiny jeweled dagger hung elegantly on the wall and the Dino had to stop to admire the beautiful weapon.

"Oh, no need to thank me. I know what it's like to travel around and have no one willing to take you in for the night. Really, it's not a problem at all. Here, I'll take your belongings and you can go down the hallway to take a bath, alright? I'll have dinner done before you know it," the old woman grinned merrily while taking the Dino's bag without waiting for a response.

"That would be wonderful! Thank you!" With another bow, the dinosaur monster trudged down the hallway while happily anticipating the warm bath that was soon to come.

The old woman watched the large beast disappear from view before wheeling herself to the spare bedroom and placing the traveling bag near the empty bed. With a smile, the gray haired woman carefully changed the bed sheets and fluffed the pillow, a look of satisfaction crossing her slightly wrinkled face. Sighing softly, she wheeled herself over to the window and tried to pry it open, but the window wouldn't budge.

"Oh, come on… These can't be stuck again!" She growled irritably, for she knew deep down that the window was perfectly fine.

"Need a hand, beautiful?"

"No, I can do this myself. Thank you, Genki."

"Aw, come on, Holly. It'll only take me a second."

"I can do this."

Genki's forehead creased slightly with worry as he watched his wife struggle to open the window, but to no avail. It was like this every day; a never ending battle between Holly's pride and physics. Could she really open that window? No, not at the height she was at. Did he want to hurt her feelings by telling her that in her current condition, it would be impossible? Of course not. The old man sighed as he ran his hand through his gray hair that now matched the color of his eyes.

"I see we have company again. Another traveler in need of a place to stay?"

"Yes. I know it's not always good to let strangers into our home, but I can't help it. After our journey to defeat Moo, I can't turn away travelers," Holly gritted her teeth while pushing relentlessly on the clear window, but it didn't move an inch.

"I know what you mean. I really don't mind it. I like hearing their stories since it helps me to know what's going on in the world now a day," the old man smiled while looking down at his wife. Her knuckles were blanched white against the tartan blanket in her lap. He watched her struggle every day because of her wheelchair bound condition and it took a moment for Genki to put his hand on hers, and she stopped pushing against the window. The space between that moment and the next, when she turned her palm upwards and laced their fingers, felt as long as the one after he woke up in an overturned Iron Bird and wished they had caught the later flight home from Age Island. If they had, they wouldn't have been on the runway when another Iron Bird overturned and caused the worst pile-up in the island's history. He wouldn't have had to sit in a hospital waiting room, and later outside a physiotherapy unit, only to be told the most awful news both times.

"Thank you," Holly whispered softly while averting her gaze.

A thousand thoughts swept through Genki's mind. There was so much he wanted to say even though his voice failed him. He wanted to apologize again, to lie and tell her it would all be okay, to scream, to cry, to laugh that they were all still alive and that after surviving through Moo's war and hundreds of life-threatening experiences, a mundane Iron Bird accident had nearly wiped them all out. Instead, his only response was a reassuring squeeze followed by a low whisper.

"…I'm always here for you, okay?" Genki's voice was so soft, it took Holly a moment to register what he had spoken.

"Yeah, I know."

Holly smiled as she looked down at their hands that were still laced together. That trip to Age Island had been their last and, after that, their days of adventuring were truly over. It had been hard to grasp at first, denial and fear bubbling up into their thoughts. When Genki announced he wasn't traveling anymore, at first Holly had been upset. Feeling that he wouldn't travel because of her disability was heartbreaking, but he eventually convinced her that everything would be alright. To him, a journey wasn't worth anything if his wife couldn't be there with him.

"…you must find it odd that I keep talking to strangers like I do and inviting them into our home. It's just… it reminds me of us when we were younger, you know? Whenever they tell us their traveling tales and when they get excited, I feel so happy. These strangers make me feel like I can walk again and that I'm on a journey again. Helping out these people makes me feel useful, too, with my condition and all," the older woman shifted her coat so that it hung more loosely while watching and allowing her husband to open the window.

"I feel the same way. You're not the only one, either. Last I heard the rest of our group does the same thing. But this quiet life isn't bad either. I like being able to stay at home and spend time with you."

"Yes, I like that too. It's just funny how we've become strangers to the world after all that we've done."

Holly was known around Toriyama for being very friendly to every one regardless of whether she knew them or not. To most people she was just a kind old woman who was pleasant to talk to. Not many people knew that she was the Wielder of the Magic Stone, that she had rebuilt Toriyama from the ground up, or that she helped take down Moo twice. Now, she was just an old woman who lived in a large house at the edge of town. Truthfully, she didn't mind this change. The constant attention of being war heroes made daily routines like shopping difficult, for trying to look through apples is hard when people are shoving notebooks into your face for autographs.

"Anyways. Genki, would you mind helping me with dinner?" Holly spoke up suddenly while flashing her husband a sweet smile. "I'm sure that Dino will tell us some great tales tonight."

"I'd love to, but first you have to promise me something."

"Promise?"

"Yeah. Promise me you won't let his stories make you upset because we don't travel anymore. I know sometimes you get a little down once travelers leave our home, but think about it; can any of their tales ever be as epic as ours is?"

Holly thought hard for a moment, her hand clasping the tartan blanket on her lap. Could any travelers' stories ever top defeating the Big Bad Four, facing off against General Durahan, winning against Moo, and releasing the Phoenix? And that was just skimming the surface of their long journey of adventures and thrilling moments they had encountered in their younger years. So could these new travelers ever come close to achieving what they had done? Definitely not.

"It's a promise."

"Good, then let's get cooking and hear what this traveler has to say and allow him to eat in the presence of the kindest hearted person to ever walk this planet," Genki smiled as he pushed the wooden wheelchair toward the kitchen to save his wife the bother.

"Who, you?"

"Pfft, no! I slipped that toad into Hare's salad last week. I highly doubt that qualifies for being the kindest person to ever walk this planet."

"That was _you?_ We all blamed Suezo for that!"

"Aw, dang! Don't tell him!"

"I'll let you off the hook this time for letting me house another traveler, alright? And you guys never seem to grow up," Holly giggled as she watched her husband smile in relief. As the older couple made their way into the kitchen, Holly couldn't help but glance over to the bathroom door where the Dino was currently bathing and she couldn't help but remembering being in his shoes, only most of the time they didn't get a roof over their heads. She smiled softly before pushing herself to Genki's side, knowing full well her kindness would be something the unknown travelers that passed through Toriyama and ended up at her doorstep would appreciate for the rest of their lives.

* * *

><p>That one was pretty mild. Not too sad, and not too happy. Just neutral. So, yeah. The rebels went to Age Island and just as they boarded the Iron Bird to go back home, another Iron Bird overturned and smashed into them leaving Holly paralyzed. I put Holly through a lot huh? XD But Genki's by her side so she's still happy. ^_^<p>

NOTE: **Xenodochial** is an adjective describing something – such as a person, place or software application - that is friendly to strangers. Finding a word starting with "X" is way too hard. XP

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	25. Y: Yearn

So close to the end! I can't give up now (even though this story is, like, months overdue). XD If I can get this story done soon, I can finally start Compass! Whoo! Though I'll need to get some more of Delusions of the Heart first, of course. X3 Let's see… about 10 or so years have last since the last chapter. So, yeah. Let's see where this goes…

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**Y: Yearn**

A small candle flickered softly in a darkened room while snow fell slowly outside; the window pane caked with the powdery substance. The room was quiet, though not entirely peaceful as one would suspect. A lone figure sat quietly at the edge of the old bed that stayed ever still in the corner of the ill-lit room. Their breathing was light, yet slightly irregular, though they didn't seem to take much mind of it. Their eyes stayed focused on an empty wheelchair on the other side of the room, its presence causing the person to slightly shiver and for their shoulders to slump. A knock at the door startled the lone person, and they were quick to shakily wipe their tear-stained cheeks with the back of their hand. They didn't answer, but the person on the other side was relentless with their constant knocking, causing a low sigh to exit their throat at knowing they weren't going to leave.

"Grandpa Genki?"

The soft voice of an innocent child broke the silence that once fell upon the room, and the door slowly opened to reveal a young seven year old girl with beautiful brown hair and lovely gray clear eyes. She looked around the room, examining the darkness that seemed to crawl out of every corner, and she shivered slightly before her gaze fell upon her beloved grandfather. His hair was still the same gray color as his eyes and the scars on his arms told more of a story than the wrinkles. Unlike normal, his broad shoulders were slumped and his eyes were void of emotion. He was broken.

"Grandpa? Aren't you gonna come downstairs to see everyone?"

"No, Mia. I… I'm not really up for it."

"Oh… I'll leave you alone if ya want me to…"

"No, it's alright. You can stay here with me if you'd like."

He didn't know why he had extended that offer, for in truth, he really didn't want to see anyone. He had a soft spot for his granddaughter, however, and he couldn't just send the little girl away like that, regardless of how terrible he was feeling. Mia clapped her hands together with glee before skipping over and flopping down eagerly on the bed next to the older man, a smile still present on her rosy face.

"Mia, is something on your mind?"

"Momma told me that you're very sad and lonely. That can't be right, though! I'm still here so you can't be lonely!" Mia spoke with determination, as if someone was questioning the very existence of the Phoenix. She was stubborn, strong, yet rather naive and was quick to jump to conclusions.

"Well… Your mother is right. I… I miss your grandma a lot," Genki spoke so quietly that the little girl sitting next to him had to strain her ears to hear him.

"I miss Grandma Holly a lot, too."

Life was never a fair thing, no matter how much good Genki did in his life. Three weeks ago he had come home from getting some groceries to find Holly sitting motionlessly in her wheelchair without a pulse. Her skin was cold to the touch, and for a moment Genki himself had stopped breathing. He'd run out to the town hospital to get a medic, but he knew she was long gone. The part that made Genki's blood boil was the medics refused to even try to save her, even though he'd begged them to. They kept telling him it was no use and even though he knew it was true, he wouldn't take that for an answer. In retrospect, he'd made quite a spectacle of himself. He had just been so angry that he hadn't cared. Later, they said that she'd probably died of a heart attack and that she'd been sick for a while. She hadn't said a word. He hadn't even been able to say goodbye to her. He didn't get to kiss her tenderly or whisper an earnest "I love you". The pain was unbearable.

Things felt so empty without her, and he suddenly realized how much he took her for granted. The bed was cold without her warm body next to his, so he had taken to sleeping on the couch instead. The bathroom still had her hair brush and pill bottles sitting on the sink. Her clothes lay in the dirty hamper waiting to be washed and every time he tried to wash them, her scent drifted off of them and he would break down. Before he knew what had happened he had slipped slowly and noiselessly into depression.

At first, it had been hard to face his daughter. Isamu looked so much like her mother in her prime with her beautiful brown hair glittering in the sunlight and her gentle smooth white skin. For Phoenix's sake, she even smelled like Holly. He had finally gotten over that road bump, but he still didn't want company. And yet, downstairs, a gathering was occurring to celebrate the life of his deceased wife. He really didn't want to show face.

As Genki looked back, he always knew he was fated to outlive all of his friends and his wife from the very start. In his world, he grew up with a balanced diet, good medical assistance, vitamins, education, and all the works. In the world of the monsters, technology was limited as was the medical care and food availability. The first of the group to pass on was Hare, after protecting a woman from being mugged; he had lost his life in the struggle. With one part of the Phoenix's soul gone, the others were quick to follow; now weakened by the loss. Tiger passed on next due to falling ill, from what some believed to be grief of losing both his best friend and losing his younger brother earlier that year. Next was Golem after protecting Toriyama from a band of rouge monsters, and Undine passed on soon after from despair. Suezo's health had declined much like Tiger's had and, after months of being bedridden, the eyeball monster passed on peacefully in his sleep; leaving a mourning Holly behind. With the rest of the Phoenix's soul carriers gone, Mocchi slowed down as well and, months after Suezo, the little monster passed away. It had taken its toll on Genki, Holly, Isamu, and little Mia, all of whom did their best to stay positive. But no one is immortal and, in the end, Holly also departed from the world; leaving a broken Genki behind. He knew that it was a miracle Holly had even lasted as long as she had considering her poor health, but it didn't make it any less devastating. He had buried his orange hat with her, but he felt like he had buried his heart along with her, as well.

"…Grandpa?"

"Hm? Oh, sorry Mia. I was just spacing off."

"Grandpa, do you believe in heaven?" Mia looked up at her grandfather with such sparkling eyes that the older man couldn't help but pull her in close for a tight hug.

"I… I don't know," Genki spoke truthfully as he held the little girl a little closer.

"Well, I do. I know Grandma is lookin' down at us right now and she's makin' sure we're safe and happy," the little brunette grinned from ear to ear.

"How do you know that?"

"'Cause she's an angel! I can picture her with these big white wings and she likes sitting on the clouds watchin' to make sure we're okay. She told me last time I saw her that she was gonna watch over us so we wouldn't get into trouble! Grandma wouldn't lie to me."

He wanted to laugh at the statement, for it sounded far too simple and easy. He wouldn't do that to his granddaughter, though, so he only nodded his head in agreement so he wouldn't hurt the little girl's feelings. He had seen so much death in his life ever since he was young. Hell, he had taken lives, himself. So what did he believe in when it came to death? He honestly didn't know.

"I suppose she could be an angel…" Genki spoke up with a shrug.

"Yeah, she is! I just know it." The little girl's voice suddenly became more excited before she leapt up from her seat. "Oh! And she wanted me to give you this." Mia dug through her pocket while Genki watched in confusion. His granddaughter was known for shoving Phoenix-knows what in her pockets and then scaring her mother with it later, like frogs, snakes, and insects. The older man could only brace himself for whatever was to come.

"It's nothing alive like last time, is it?"

"What, no! Not this time."

Mia flashed her grandfather a white grin before taking his hand in hers and then placing something surprisingly light in the palm of his hand. In his hand lay an extremely worn red ribbon. The ends were frayed slightly and the red color was extremely faint, but it didn't matter. Genki felt himself get choked up, but he swallowed quickly and turned his gaze away so his granddaughter couldn't see his glassy eyes.

"Where… where did you get this? I couldn't find it in her belongings earlier…" Genki trailed of quietly while feeling the worn fabric in his hand and he could picture the many times when they were younger and he would secretly watch Holly skillfully tie the ribbon in her hair with admiration.

"Grandma told me that she wanted it be yours and that it wouldn't be safe with her because of all the crazy stuff goin' on, so she gave it to me to hold for you. She said other people would just throw it out thinking it wasn't special, but you would want to keep it," Mia spoke proudly while recalling the many months she had secretly held onto the worn hair ribbon by the wish of her grandmother.

"Thank you so much, Mia," Genki whispered while pulling his granddaughter in for a tight hug, one in which the little girl was quick to return.

"Grandpa… I know you're sad, but Grandma wouldn't want you to be sad," Mia spoke softly while slowly leaving the embrace and extending her tiny hand out to her grandfather. "Everyone downstairs misses Grandma, too. Since everyone's feelin' the same, maybe we can help each other feel better, right?"

Genki stared at his granddaughter's hand, a small smile forming on his face. Truthfully, he didn't want to see anyone right now but, then again, he didn't want to see Mia earlier either, and yet he felt more at peace from her company. Slowly, the older man grasped his granddaughter's hand before getting up from his place on the bed and patting her head lightly. A grin formed on Mia's lips and she let out a sweet laugh before pulling at the old man's arm. For the first time that day, Genki didn't fight back and allowed her to lead him out of the bedroom. Healing would be difficult and he knew he would never fully heal from Holly's death but, looking from his granddaughter to the worn hair ribbon in his hand, he would try to recover for Isamu, little Mia, and Holly's sake.

* * *

><p>I got a bit choked up writing this one… *Hugs her Tiger plush* Wah, I'm such a sap! XP I had this chapter planned out for a while, so I finally got it out of my system. I just want to hug Genki, though. ;_; Mia means 'wish' in Japanese and is the name of my cat! X3 It's also the name of a Golden Sun character. XD Oh! And for Mia having all sorts of weird things in her pockets, I used to always do that was I was little! I used to always be emptying out frogs and salamanders from my pockets. XD Thank you guys for reading this sappy ass chapter! Now, on to chapter Z!<p>

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


	26. Z: Zen

Wow, this story is finally coming to a close… or is it? Nope! After this there's actually at least 2 more bonus chapters, but I'll explain those in the after story author's note, so make sure to check it out! ^_^ This story has been hanging over my head for way too long now. I can't believe this is the last official chapter (with the other 2 being bonus chapters). So sad… But anyways! Okay gang! Let's travel 15 years into the future! Whoosh!

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

**Moments We Share**

**Z: Zen**

"Are you being serious? I've heard the rumors, but I thought it was just a myth."

"Why the _hell_ would I lie about that?"

"Well, it just seems a little… uh… _exaggerated_."

"_Exaggerated?_ I wouldn't lie about that! Honest! He told me about the whole journey from start to finish and my grandma even said that all of it was true!"

"I still can't believe your grandfather and grandmother defeated all of the Big Bad Four and General Durahan."

"Hey, they defeated Moo twice, right? He was harder than any other monster they fought, so why can't you believe they took down the Big Bad Four and General Durahan?"

"I read history books about it that made it sound rather, uh, fake. A lot of them said how the heroes had magical powers and-"

"Hold on. My grandparents didn't have magical powers, but they really did save the world! That whole myth came about because of my grandma's power over the Magic Stone like I have. Back then she was one of the only people in the world who had that power, so a lot of people later thought she had other magic that helped to defeat Moo. She honestly didn't, though. She was just a regular human."

"I suppose…"

"You still don't believe me…?"

"Aw, are you pouting? Come on! I was just kidding with ya! Everyone knows about your grandparents' heroics and what not. I was just messin' with ya. You're so cute when- Ow! OW! OW! Okay, okay! I'm sorry!"

A young couple walked down a dirt path, one holding a bouquet of flowers and the other holding their sore arm. The day was a beautiful one and it marked the five year anniversary of the death of the last hero who defeated Moo. The sky was a soft shade of blue that mirrored the young woman's mood while she opened the gate leading to the town cemetery. In the middle of the holy place was a circle of graves that surrounded an elegant statue of the Phoenix, and the young woman couldn't help but let a small smile cross her face. Slowly the couple made their way to the circle of graves while being careful not to disturb anything. At the sight of the first grave, the young woman felt her body go rigid, but a calloused hand taking hers put her mind at ease.

"Mia, we can leave if you'd like."

"No, it's alright, Isaac. Thank you, though."

Mia had grown up to be a beautiful young woman just like her mother and grandmother had. Her clear eyes flashed in the direction of her companion to let him know she was alright before she strolled over to one of several Lost Disks that were among those in the circle. She looked down at the vine-tangled disk with hard eyes and she carefully took off some growing moss from the disk's front.

"This first Lost Disk here is my great Uncle Hare. He was the planner of the group and was the Phoenix's intelligence. I don't remember much of him because he was killed when I was very young, but I do remember I loved his laugh." Mia chuckled softly at remembering in her youngest years, playing with the rabbit monster's ears and getting one of his trademark laughs in response.

"He was the thief that didn't get along with another one of Searchers, right?" Isaac asked softly while placing a flower from the bouquet at the base of the Lost Disk.

"Yeah, him and Tiger never saw eye-to-eye, but they were the best of friends," Mia spoke while walking over to the next disk in the circle. "This is Tiger of the Wind and the Lost Disk directly behind it, but not exactly in the circle of the Searchers, is his little brother, Gray Wolf. Tiger was an excellent fighter and was the Phoenix's anger. He use to patrol Toriyama to make sure everything was safe." Mia smiled at the vague memories she held of the wolf monster and how he would secretly give her piggyback rides when no one was looking. A smile graced her lips again as she watched Isaac put another flower from the bouquet at the edge of Tiger's and Gray Wolf's Lost Disks, and she carefully walked to the next grave.

"This is my great Uncle Golem and the Lost Disk next to him was his wife, Undine. He was a gentle giant and he was the Phoenix's kindness. He used to save the group all the time by acting as a shield and my grandma use to joke that he spent more time protecting her than he did anything else," Mia bit her lip as it trembled, but she shook the feeling off to avoid any tears from forming. A flower was placed on both Lost Disks and the couple moved to the next one in line.

"This is my great Uncle Suezo. He was my grandma's best friend and was the Phoenix's pride. I remember him being really sarcastic, but he was really nice once he opened up. Sometimes he could teleport, but my grandma said he was too lazy to ever master that technique. He had amazing eyesight, too, though especially if he sensed a pretty woman was nearby. Kind of like you, Isaac."

"Like me?"

"Yeah. I mean, you _did_ find me in a crowd and I'm the prettiest woman in the world."

"Ah, true!"

The couple laughed at their silliness before placing another flower at the base of the Lost Disk. After a moment of silence, the duo made their way to the next Lost Disk. Mia could feel Isaac tighten his grip a little more on her hand as a comforting gesture and even though she was too proud to say it, she really did appreciate it.

"This is Mocchi, my grandpa's monster and best friend. He was really cute and was the Phoenix's courage. Mocchi was really tough even though he was small. Did you know he won the Legend Cup so many times that they forced him to retire?"

"Really? That's incredible!"

"Yeah, he was amazing. He was always a kid at heart so when I was little, I always had someone to play with. Suezo and Mocchi lived with my grandparents so whenever I visited them, Suezo and Mocchi were there, too. Suezo would always scold me for doing dangerous stuff while Mocchi was way more laid back. I got away with a lot of things because of him," Mia spoke gingerly while placing a white flower near the Lost Disk. The young woman felt her body tense up as she noticed the last grave in the circle of heroes, but the man standing near her gave her a comforting kiss on the cheek; urging her to go on. With a gulp, Mia slowly approached the large grave stone and she felt the edges of her eyes prickle with tears as she read the_ SAKURA_ inscribed elegantly at the top along with a silhouette of the Phoenix.

"…hey, grandma and grandpa. I'd like you meet someone," Mia spoke softly while dragging Isaac by the arm so he could stand at her side. "This is Isaac, my husband. I know you told me no guy would ever be good enough for me, but Isaac really is. He's sweet and caring. He's also kind of a smart ass, so I know you two would have gotten along great," Mia giggled while speaking. "I got a job as a nurse and we're buying a house. I wanted to tell you both that… well… I'm pregnant. Isaac already told me that depending on the gender, we're going to name our child after one of you two. I… I wish you could be here…"

"…I miss you two so much. I wish I could have been born earlier so I would have been older. Then I would have appreciated you two so much more." Mia felt her throat constrict slightly, but she swallowed hard to force herself to keep talking. "The world doesn't feel as safe without you guys around anymore. I sometimes find myself looking up at the sky hoping to see the Phoenix flying overhead, but I never do. If Moo ever comes back, what will the world do without you?"

"… what am I saying? I know you'll still protect us wherever you are now. That's just how you two have always been; always helping others regardless of the situation. Do you know you guys are in every history book out there? It was so weird learning about you in school, especially since I know the real story…" Mia fell silent for a moment, her eyes still glued to the grave stone in front of her.

"…Mia?" Isaac spoke with concern, even more so when her shoulders began to shake.

"I…I m-miss everyone s-so much… I wish I k-knew they were h-happy where t-they are!" Mia choked out a whimper while bringing up her hands to cover her tear-stained cheeks.

"Oh, Mia… No one here would want to see you sad like this. They're happy when you're happy." Isaac pulled the trembling woman into his arms, and she was quick to latch onto his shirt. "I'm sure they're very happy where they are since I'm sure all of them stayed together."

Mia clenched her clear eyes shut and allowed tears to slide down her rosy cheeks. Her head whipped up, though, when she heard her name being whispered softly. Sitting at the edge of the graveyard was a young boy and a young girl. The young boy wore an orange hat, baggy clothes, and strange wheeled shoes on his feet while the young girl had her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail and wore a traditional Toriyama outfit consisting of a red shirt, maroon vest, and baggy brown pants. They looked happy as they laughed with one another while holding each other's hands and occasionally sharing a shy kiss. Besides them, a purebred Golem, Mocchi, Suezo, Tiger, and Hare sat near the couple while flashing them grins and laughing happily along with them.

"Mia?"

Mia slowly lifted her head to look up at her husband, who was looking down at her with concern, and when she looked back across the graveyard, the two children and the monsters were gone. For a moment, she felt disappointment at their disappearance, but her mood suddenly lifted and a grin spread across her face.

"Mia? Are you alright?" Isaac asked in concern as he studied the woman in his arms carefully, who was quickly wiping any stray tears away with the back of her shirt sleeve.

"Actually… I feel great," Mia replied with a content smile.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah… you were right."

"About what?"

"…they're happy together where they are."

The young couple laid the remaining flowers on every grave in the cemetery before leaving it in harmonious silence, their hands still intertwined. Mia couldn't help but smile as she looked up into the sky with a feeling a peace, and her smile only grew as she caught sight of the silhouette of an enormous bird flying into the distance. It didn't matter where she went, her grandparents and the other Searchers would always be there watching over her and the rest of the world.

* * *

><p>Can I get a woot woot? *Crickets chirp* Damn it! XD Anyways, the main arc of this story is done! *Throws some confetti* Woo! Kind of emotional, but happy, right? ^_^ Okay, now onto the bonus chapters. One is the original chapter F, which is F: Flowers. I just need to find it on my laptop. XD The other is a bonus chapter at the request of ripitupgenki, who wanted a chapter about Genki and Holly's wedding night in the Moments We Share universe. I'm so gonna write it! :D So yeah! Unless other requests are made, they'll only be 2 more chapters. Thank you everyone for your support! A special thanks to ripitupgenki for reviewing this story constantly and Flying Star for also being a top notch reviewer. This story wouldn't exist without you guys! Also a thanks to archsage328 for reviewing when he can! I LOVE YOU GUYS! *Hugs everyone* ^_^ This chapter is called Zen because in the end, Mia finally found peace with the deaths of the Searchers. Also, if you get the Mia and Isaac naming thing, you're flippin' awesome. Until next time, thank you guys!<p>

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3


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